Nadir
by Adhara Tamar
Summary: Nadir: the lowest point, point of greatest adversity or despair. Sookie faces both, plus some harsh truths about herself and others.
1. Ire

A/N This would be my first story in Southern Vampire Mysteries fandom, as I've only recently (ok, it was Christmas, so my memory might be foggy) read the books, and was written completely off the cuff today. I sat down to work on my MA dissertation and somehow got this monsterous thing instead. Apparently, my muse didn't feel up to exchange and social relations during the Bronze Age-Iron Age transition. So, all mistakes are mine, having been belted out in a marathon of typing while creating. But, the upside is I have the whole blasted thing written, which means regular updates are a given. (Although may be witheld for reviews, so be warned) This is set after book 8, so it goes off into a lovely little AU from my muse to you. It gets pretty angsty and even borderline maudlin and melodramatic at points, but stick with me, I promise there's a rationale behind everything.

Disclaimer: I only play with and torture these guys. It'd be too much work to actually have to look after them!

According to dictionary. com:

Nadir _n _the lowest point, the point of greatest adversity or despair

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Ire _n_ anger, ire suggests greater intensity than anger

I was wary of actually entering the building outside of which Amelia and I were currently parked. Actually, it wasn't so much the building, but its occupants. Or make that its owners. Or to specify even further, it was one of the owners I definitely wasn't sure I wanted to see. But, after weeks of no contact, finally hearing from Eric and having him 'request' my presence, I had to admit I was also a little intrigued. Our blood bond had been stretched thin over the distance from Bon Temps to Shreveport, so I had no idea what to expect once I stepped through those increasingly forbidding doors. Amelia glanced at my face, and started to giggle seeing me chewing on my lower lip while glaring at the front door as if daring it to attack.

"C'mon, girl. Let's go see what the lord and master wants. Sitting out here won't answer any of your questions. Besides, I'm thirsty."

"I know, 'Meals, it's just, where's he been? I haven't seen hide nor hair from Eric since the takeover. I thought we were going somewhere, or at least going to discuss what this blasted bond is about. Besides being a means to drag me further into stupid vamp shit." Well, that was my mood downhill real quick. I hated thinking about how the blood bond tied me even further to the murky world of vampire politics. All I wanted was a quiet life of working at Merlotte's and living in my Gran's house. And maybe a man who could put me first, but I didn't see that one happening anytime soon, especially not with All High Sheriff Northman, the object of my current aggression.

"Well, no use sitting out here, let's get going and you can find out where your man's been," Amelia chimed in cheerfully. The girl was way too interested in my love life. Or lack thereof, because there was no way I was getting involved with Sheriff Eric, no matter how much I missed My Eric, the sweet and tender version who had lived with me while under Hallow's curse.

There was another strike against him and I said as much, "And now that he remembers when he was cursed, you just know he's gonna use that as leverage for me to do something for him." This was the crux of the matter, since we had made love and nearly professed our love for each other, but then he had to go and forget his time of forgetfulness. Why couldn't he have stayed cursed? I'd never want Eric to not be who he was, which happened to include a powerful position in vampire politics, but I could be a part of his life if he had stayed out of it.

Pam was on door duty, but summoned a replacement over as soon as she saw us approach. "Sookie, dear, and Amelia. So glad you could make it. Let me take you to my Master. I know he is most anxious to see you, Sookie," she said as she wound her way sinuously through the teeming throng of fangbangers and tourists.

I didn't need to scan through the crowd to find Eric, as I was suddenly filled with calm and contentment, the hallmarks of this blasted bond that screwed with what I was feeling and made me look forward to seeing Eric, no matter what the occasion. I grimaced, which was apparently obvious to Eric, as I caught a ripple of amusement through the bond. Suddenly, the crowd cleared around Eric's 'throne' and there he was. 6'5" of gorgeous undead Viking, wearing his traditional Fangtasia t-shirt with his lovely, long blonde hair shimmering in the dull light. Hey, I may not have been happy with him, but I could still appreciate the sheer beauty of his form. Eric must have caught my perusal as his crystal blue eyes gleamed knowingly in my direction.

"My lover! You've come!" Way to state the obvious there, Eric. Oh, boy was I working myself into a right foul mood.

"I didn't think I had much a choice, after your lordship summoned me," I snippily replied. Amelia and Pam both glanced at me out of the corner of their eyes, although Amelia was much less subtle than Pam. "Care to tell me what you want Eric? Or why you haven't spoken to me since the take-over? I mean, I realize it's hard to pry yourself away from fawning over the new king and all those fangbangers fawning over you, but still, you could have picked up a phone!"

In the shocked silence that little outburst caused, I felt the briefest pangs of pain coming from Eric. Why did I say that? Sure, I was upset, but I didn't have to be confrontational. I smiled sheepishly at him, saying, "I'm sorry, I'm a little tired from work. Let's go sit and you can tell me what you wanted to."

Amelia seemed to oddly give off a relieved vibe at this, but why she cared, I didn't know. I'm not even sure why she wanted to come tonight, since we hadn't done anything together ever since she started going with Tray. Not that I begrudge her happiness, but would it kill her to spend some time with me, too?

My mood officially swinging back to negative, I grudgingly followed Eric over to his booth. I looked for Amelia to make sure she sat beside me, but found that Pam had already dragged her over to the bar. Great. Now I was left alone with the one person who could make this night and my mood worse. "Fine, I'm here, what do you want, Eric?" I spat out.

Eric raised an eyebrow at my tone and no doubt the emotions washing through the bond. He neglected to answer, but signalled to Felicia, who rapidly produced both True Blood and gin and tonic. I rapidly downed my drink, and then looked straight at Eric, saying, "Well, I'm waiting for you to grace me with an answer."

He sighed, but then smiled. I felt pride and relief, an odd combinatin shooting from him to me. "Lover, I know I haven't been around lately, but I have been working on setting things in motion, events I think you will find quite pleasing. I know how…"

Here I interrupted, nearly shrieking with the sudden ire that swept over me, "Stop calling me lover! I am not your lover. I have never been _your_ lover. I may have slept with you when you were cursed, but that wasn't really you, was it? You can't just assume that it meant anything for the two of us. We're from different worlds and it should stay that way." I stood up, suddenly deciding I was done with this conversation. "You know, just save it, Eric. I don't want to hear anything you have to say. I'm sure it will just lead to more pain for me, so no thanks."

I stomped off toward the door, momentarily forgetting that Amelia was with me and focusing on getting away from Eric. I was in such a righteous fury that I almost didn't hear the thought in time.

_Let's blast these sinners back to Hell!_


	2. Rage

A/N: Ok, first of all, thank you so much for the great reviews and putting this little offering of mine on Alert! I actually scared my flatmate with a little happy dance at my first review! Now, down to business. This chapter may seem even more OOC than the last, but stick with me, as I promise there is a reason for it. As always, the definitions come from dictionary. com

Disclaimer: Not my toys, but I promise to treat them (relatively) well

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Rage _n _anger, rage suggests loss of self-control

I froze, then instinctively threw up my hands as the world exploded in a blaze of fire. I felt myself yanked backward, even as my hands erupted in searing pain.

I must have blacked out for a moment, because I came to lying in Eric's arms. I realized that he had grabbed me and pulled me out of the blast range just in time, although, given the tongues of pain licking across my hands, it wasn't quite fast enough. I panicked briefly, thinking of Amelia. Eric tried to send me calm through the bond and continued to hold me down, but I struggled violently and he had to let me up or risk me doing myself more injury.

"Amelia!" I screamed, taking in the thoroughly ruined front entrance. The blast zone appeared to have reached almost to the middle of the club. The front half was decimated, and exposed to the night air, where I could see flashing lights already approaching.

Amelia and Pam suddenly appeared next to me, both seemingly largely uninjured. I must have been closer to the blast.

"Sook, oh, God, Sookie, are you ok?" Amelia was panicking. I didn't want to look at my hands, but I could feel they were starting to numb, which in my recent and varied experience with injuries is never good.

"Sookie, we need to get to you an ambulance. You need to go to the hospital." Pam even sounded concerned, which furthered my thought that I was going to be in serious pain for awhile.

"No! No hospitals. I just want to go home. I can clean this up there." I didn't want to say I couldn't afford another hospital visit, knowing Eric would only offer to take care of it and I didn't want to be indebted to him. I should have guessed at his next statement.

"You will take my blood. It will heal you quickly and then we can find the ones responsible." I heard the barely repressed fury in Eric's voice, directed at whoever dared to attack his club.

"No! Just take me home! I just want to go home!" I was almost hyperventilating. There was no way I was going to have more of Eric's blood. Who knew what taking more would do to the bond? Eric must have realized there was no arguing with me until I calmed down, so he simply picked me up and carried me out to the parking lot. On passing Felicia at the bar, he said, "Deal with the police. Pam and I will return."

Pam's car was flying through the early evening as Eric and I continued to fight over whether I would take his blood. It was definitely an odd situation if I thought about it. Here I was, soaking Pam's upholstery with my dangerously attractive fae-scented blood, and I was arguing with a vamp about not taking_ his_ blood, rather than fighting him off of mine. Of course, my brain was fogged with pain and couldn't fully appreciate the irony.

"Please, lover, just for once actually do as I ask. A little of my blood will do nothing to the bond, but much toward healing you. I don't like seeing you in pain! Why must you always fight me?" Eric was as close to pleading as I had ever heard him, but that didn't break my resolve.

"Damn it Eric! I won't take any more! I can't trust you when it comes to this. For all I know, another exchange means we're married, and I sure as hell don't want to be married to you!" Was that me that just said that? Since when don't I trust Eric? Well, he was sneaky enough to trick me into something more than the bond; just look at how we were bonded in the first place.

The thick silence penetrated my introspective moment, and I realized Eric, who had been holding me to his chest to keep me from moving and further injuring myself, had gone completely still. There's nothing more unnerving than a body ceasing all movement. His embrace, while not shifting, had suddenly gone from comforting to merely present and I wanted to reach out through the bond to see what was up, but couldn't reach past my pain. The silence dragged on until we reached Gran's house. Amelia flew out of the car and had my hideous old afghan wrapped around me the instant Eric carried me into the kitchen and set me in one of the chairs. I don't know what it was, maybe the pain, maybe the sight of that afghan with Eric in the same room again, but suddenly I went on the attack.

"This is all your fault! You and your stupid politics! I never wanted to be dragged into all this shit! It's only because you tricked me and FORCED me to bond with you that I've been nearly killed on a regular basis. Well, no more, buddy. I'm done with being at anyone's beck and call! I'm done being a telepath that gets passed around! I'm done being staked and blown up and threatened! And above all, I'm done with YOU! From the first day I met you, you've been manipulating me into doing whatever you want. You say the bond can't do anything, but you know, I bet you do use it to control me. You and your 'mine' and 'my lover'. I am a free woman, damn it all! I don't belong to anyone, especially you and you don't have any say over what I do! I quit! I thought maybe something could work between us, but there's no way I'm going to have anything to do with you and your controlling everything. I'm through, do you hear me?! Come near me again, and I'll have Niall do what he asked about earlier and let him kill you." Where was this rage coming from? This must have been building for months, years even and I would let it out and finally be free.

"Damn it, woman, listen to me!" I thought Eric was going to hit me as he towered over me, an enraged expression on his face. I ducked my head, waiting for him to finish.

"I've been trying to tell you that you don't have to be involved in vampire politics. Felipe has finally released any claim on your services, after many weeks of negotiations. He can no longer demand your presence. This includes all previously scheduled events, such as the Vegas engagement at the end of the month. The only way you have to work with vampires again is if you desire it. If you would just listen to me for once, instead of raging at me, I could have told you that earlier tonight! You remain under Area 5 jurisdiction, but only for protection purposes. I will still oversee your safety."

Well, that was a surprise. I was so shocked that I didn't even feel the pain in my hands. It also explained why Barry was suddenly based in Las Vegas, something that had puzzled me since I was supposedly under Felipe's rule. I was so relieved. Something good finally happened to me. It only involved being nearly blown up, but I was finally free. I kept my head bent as I contemplated what to do with my new and hard won freedom. I just had to convince Eric I wanted nothing to do with him and I would be done with stupid vamp shit that would just get me killed. I could go back to working on getting the life I had always wanted, and that would be based on the family I had left, fae and otherwise, not certain blood bonded, controlling vamps. Hmm, I'd have to get used to ignoring feeling Eric's emotions through the bond, or I could just ask Niall about severing it somehow. Yes, that's what I'd do; I'm sure my great-grandfather would be more than willing to help me get away from vampires for good.

"I think you should go, Eric. I appreciate all you've done for me, really I do, but that doesn't change anything between us. I'm glad to be out from under Felipe's thumb. Now, I'd like to go get cleaned up. Since I'm no longer required to be in Vegas, I don't expect I'll see you around, so take care." I winced internally at the dismissive tone in my voice, but held to my resolve. Soon, I'd be free of this Supe nonsense.

Feeling a sudden shock through the bond and realizing I couldn't feel anything else from him, I finally risked a glance at Eric. His face was completely devoid of any expression, not that that was terribly unusual. His skin looked grey, not glowing like normal and his bearing was stiff, unlike his normal graceful posture. So he didn't like being deprived of an asset, not my problem anymore. I steeled myself and looked into his eyes, expecting to see something, even disappointment he couldn't make me do what he wanted. Instead, there was nothing. Eric's eyes have always been expressive, twinkling with mirth or cold with fury, but this was like looking into two black holes. For the first time, I realized he really was a reanimated corpse, because I was looking into a dead man's stare.

Unthinking, I reached for his hand, but before I could grab him or formulate a response, he took a step back. He inclined his head slightly and said quietly, lifelessly, "Thank you, Miss Stackhouse, for the help you have given the vampire nation. I apologize for the trauma our association has caused you. As you request, we shall not be seeing each other again." With that, he turned to go, and somehow I finally understood he really was a thousand years old. Suddenly, in one of my rare and terrifying flashes, I got a glimpse into Eric's thoughts.

_Why, oh gods, why?! I only wanted to love her._


	3. Censure

A/N: This, dear readers, is the chapter that actually sparked the whole enchilada. This is my own ranting and raving about the behaviour of late of certain beloved characters, for which the lovely Pam and Amelia serve as the perfect vehicles. So, more radical mood swings that tread the line of credulity, but we draw ever closer to understanding just what is going on in our favourite part of Louisiana. Thank you for all of your kind reviews, and I hope this doesn't disappoint anyone!

Disclaimer: What, I have to give them back? Blast.

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Censure _n_ severe criticism, to censure is to criticize vehemently or harshly, or condemn

I sat, huddled in my afghan, shocked that it was over and trying to ignore the gaping emptiness I felt in the core of my being at Eric's parting thought. This was what I wanted, right? To be free of the manipulative vampire Sheriff who never put me first, who would only continue to make my life miserable by putting me in situations I didn't want. I certainly hadn't wanted to be involved with vampires; my life wasn't my own and wasn't how I wanted it when Eric was around, so now that he wouldn't be, I could get it back. I sighed, determined to push out the remnants of unhappiness I'm sure was just the bond not liking being strained, then straightened up in my chair with my crazy smile pasted on, and said, "Well, that's that, I guess. Pam, I don't suppose I'll be seeing you much anymore, but you know you're always welcome around here, as long as you don't go bringing any more crazy vampire stuff around me."

Pam slowly turned to me from her position staring rigidly at the door Eric had just vanished through. I was faced with a terrifying look of fury, the likes of which I'd never seen on anyone, let alone controlled Pam. She hissed, fangs running out in anger, "You expect him to accept you as you are, full of your 'independence' and determination to not be a 'kept woman' and for the most part he respects that. But have you ever thought, or is it beyond you, to realize that while you are demanding of him to accept you, you are demanding he change the habits of a thousand years? You don't want to change, or even bend, but you want him to be what you want, react to you how you want and change his entire manner, simply because you don't like the way a vampire would react, let alone one with enough foresight to live as long as he has. When I first met you, I thought you were sweet and naïve, likely to be eaten alive by the vampire world, but you showed hidden strength, admirable courage, and an odd ability to like us as we are. Now, however, you've become selfish, Sookie Stackhouse, selfish and uncaring and everyone can see it."

I opened my mouth to reply, incensed, but Pam made a harsh hand gesture and continued.

"My Master feels so deeply for you that he attempts to change, but every time he slips or reacts to a situation AS IS NATURAL for him, you reject him. In essence, you are telling him that if he can't be human for you, with the added benefits of a vampire's quiet mind, he is not good enough for you. And still, he attempts to make you happy, often at the risk of his position and respect in the vampire world, HIS world, not to mention that he would throw his own life away if the need arose, to keep you safe. If I didn't know it would hurt him terribly, I would end your life right now and remove the destruction you cause. You fight every time you feel you have no say in the matter, but you have lived only a fraction of the time as my Master; he does know how to keep you safe and out of the hands of those who would make your life miserable, so miserable you cannot even conceive, yet by rejecting his vampire nature, you are telling him he is not your equal, that you hold him lower than those who have hurt you all your life, that he is only a passing amusement for you to toy with when you please and when he pleases you. You say you want him to commit to you, that he could never put you first, but you don't have the faintest idea about relationships. Relationships are not about your partner worshipping you, although my Master, sickeningly enough, would bless the ground you walk on, but equally putting the safety and happiness of the OTHER first, which includes an acceptance of who they are. All Eric sees now is that his presence, his very nature, makes you unhappy. That is why he has surrendered, has removed himself to allow you to find someone who does make you happy. And in doing so, has…" Pam stopped, and in a rare display, closed her eyes and grimaced as if her next thought caused her great pain. She opened her eyes after a moment and continued on a different track, "HE is the one to not deserve you. It is a shame you will never get the chance to figure that out."

And with that, she was gone, in a whirlwind of latex and leather, leaving me to sit in my Gran's kitchen, bleeding physically and emotionally. Amelia looked shocked. I thought it was because she had never seen Pam that worked up, but then she smiled, a grim, tight little smile.

"Bravo, Pam. It's time someone had the guts to dress you down. I've been wanting to tell you that for a while now, but didn't want to face your self-righteousness and unjustified accusations. You're the only one responsible for making your life miserable. Yeah, Eric has done some things without your knowledge and some pretty ugly things you knew about, but has he ever knowingly hurt you? You dwell so much on what everyone has done to you and see yourself blameless of inflicting pain on anyone else. So, yeah, you're bonded to someone who loves you and would die for you, or better yet kill for you, and who wants to keep you safe and happy, but you don't see that, no Sookie only sees that it wasn't what she wanted and she didn't get to order it into her life. She didn't plan to have a vampire love her, so out he goes. Life happens, Sookie; it changes and we have to adapt to what comes. Expecting it to meet our wishes isn't just blind, it's ignorant and makes you no better than those FOTS idiots who only see the world the way they want to and can't accept it's not. You have to see the good that there is in the world and in every situation, not what's missing from your plan. And it seems like you're not capable of that anymore, so you make yourself miserable and punish everyone else, even, or especially, those of us that love you. That _man_ has pretty much done anything you've asked for, and you just brutally threw him out the door. You're the one that's changed Sookie. You never used to be this self-absorbed or downright vicious."

With a final look of complete disgust, Amelia swept out of the kitchen. I couldn't move, couldn't think, couldn't _breathe_. I felt numb on the outside, but inside could only feel the biting cold of despair. I wanted my attitude from earlier back, where I could have just shrugged the words off, but they were running through my head on instant replay, not letting me get away. Was I selfish? Did I punish everyone else for the fact that my life isn't what I had imagined as a child? I never wanted to hurt anyone else, but was I really blaming everyone but me for the way my life turned out? How could anyone be around me if I behaved like that? With that thought, I realized that, while I thought everyone had been withdrawing from me, I had been the one to retreat, to back away in order to shelter what was left of me and my free-will. I wasn't sure I liked the me I was trying to protect if my two closest friends, and yes, I did count Pam as a friend, could both see the same disturbing habits. I felt something snarled around my heart start to loosen.

And Eric, my God, what about Eric? Was I that much of a hypocrite that I accused him of wanting to change me while raging that he couldn't change for me? I started to shake, unmindful of the tears that began pouring down my cheeks. The knotted thing around my heart unravelled further. Why had I said those things to him? He protected me, wanted to give me things to make me happy and I threw it all back in his face. Like Pam said, I rejected his methods, even though he was trying to be something he wasn't, something I demanded of him unfairly, and in doing so rejected a decent man who cared for me, no, I would say it. He loved me, I knew that, knew too that I couldn't live a life where Eric wasn't there to tease a smile out of me, to be ridiculous in his attempts to seduce me more to make me laugh than in seriousness, where he just let me be as I am. We used to have so much fun together, but every time we were together for the past, I don't know how long, had been so drama-filled with me either running away or demanding he do something for me that the lightness and joy had been forgotten. I had driven my Eric away; he had always been there but I was so set on getting what I wanted that I ignored our laughter and focused on anything that gave me an excuse to push him away. Oh God, what have I done?

Frantically, I reached out to him through the bond, desperate to feel him, to sense his life force, that quiet hum that I suddenly realized had become my lifeline. Except for the last few weeks, I found myself subconsciously reaching out to it when feeling depressed or upset and it would reassure me, a habit I was just beginning to recognize. Currently, it was barely there, covered with a sort of grey fog that echoed with the chill of the despair I was feeling inside myself. In another flash of insight, I realized that it didn't matter how the bond was made; it was there and it would stay, so I needed to accept it and move on. Eric was hurting, which hurt me more for the fact that I caused it, than the fact I could feel it. Could I be that significant to such an awe-inspiring, ancient, magnificent creature that words from me, no, be honest, flat out rejection and disgust, could affect him so greatly? I felt small, dirty, and unfit to be in the world where I could cause such pain. Something inside me froze, then shattered in one blow.

Pam had said I would never get the chance to know what I was missing. What did she mean? What was going to happen to Eric?

_What had I done?!_


	4. Remorse

A/N: A note that I'm really putting our heroine through the wringer here. All I can do is assure you that the mood swings will even out and all will be explained in time. Also, it has been noted that I tend to 'lose' the Southern tone now and again, so let me state flat out that 1) I'm a Minnesota transplant in England and 2) my southern exposure comes from my best friend, a Tennessee native. Although, speaking of MN and vampires, I highly recommend the Undead series (at least the first four books) of MaryJanice Davidson, starring Betsy Taylor, queen of the vampires who just happens to live in Minneapolis with her consort, yet another Tall, Handsome and Undead Eric. Although I've yet to find a copy of the newest book, out last month, so I can't comment on its mixed reviews.

Disclaimer: I hope I can return them slightly broken....

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Remorse _n_ guilty conscience, remorse implies a sense of guilty responsibility and a greater feeling of personal pain and anguish

Suddenly galvanized to action, I stood up and ran out of the kitchen, grabbing my car keys on the way. I forgot I was still injured; nothing mattered but getting to Eric, to making sure he was safe and stayed that way. I didn't even care if he could never forgive me; all I knew was that he had to stay alive, or undead, or whatever. I was even rambling in my brain in my frantic rush. I HAD to see him. It was a compulsion in direct contrast to my actions and emotions of the past few hours; I recognized the hypocrisy in my sudden desperate desire to be near him, but it was like something had shifted inside me, forcing me to face the truth of Pam and Amelia's statements. Tearing out of my driveway, ignoring the pain in my shredded hands as they gripped the steering wheel, ignoring the fresh blood dripping down my forearms, I tried to use the bond to find where he could have gone. It hadn't been that long since he left, at least I didn't think so. How long had Pam and Amelia taken me to task and how long had I sat there in my epiphany driven grief? Pam had driven us home, so he must have been flying. He could be anywhere, but when I thought about Fangtasia, I got a sense of rightness, so I directed the car to Shreveport. Of course, Eric and I are similar creatures, so it made sense that he would throw himself into work or at least do something to avoid thinking about an emotional scene.

I laughed slightly hysterically. Apparently this was my night for epiphanies, after it was too late for me to recover the love of my life. I could admit it now and, just like a petulant child, it was only after I lost the most important thing in my life did I realize how much I valued it. I wanted to send him my horror at what I had said and done, my deep despair at hurting him and my newly discovered, or at least acknowledged, love, but I was terrified that if I did, I would be doing what I had unfairly accused him of in manipulating the situation. It was time to act like an adult and actually talk to Eric and apologize, something I had rarely, if ever, done.

I reached Fangtasia in record time for my driving, squealing into the thankfully nearly empty parking lot, with Amelia's car the only one still out front. The police must have left, shutting down the bar until the light of day. I scrambled out of the car, not realizing I was still wrapped in my afghan and dripping blood everywhere. Racing to the employee entrance, not wanting to see the disaster of the front area, I tried to open the door, but my hands were too slick with blood and not closing properly. I banged on the door, sobbing by now.

"Eric! Eric, open the door! Pam! Anyone!"

The door jerked open, making me nearly fall into the sudden void. Pam looked down at me in disdain, and asked, "Why are you here, Sookie? You've renounced having anything to do with us. You realize this was your choice to come here, so no twisting it later on as anyone manipulating you."

Earlier today, this speech would have enraged me, but now I accepted it as my due. I tried to speak, but it came out as a whispering croak through my tears, "I know, Pam, I can't expect anything, but please, I'm begging you, please let me speak to Eric. Please Pam, I, I have to talk to him." At this point, I was practically incomprehensible. "I, I k...know he…he won't, won't want to se..see me, bbut I need, I need to apppologize. I have to, Pam, I have to know he...knows...Please, please Pam. Please." I trailed off, repeating "Please".

Pam actually looked stunned for a moment, before recovering her icy demeanour and, practically picking me up, she hauled my trembling form inside and down the corridor to Eric's office. I couldn't stop shaking and crying. I also couldn't feel Eric at all, beyond that horrible grey fog that seemed to be growing colder. About halfway down the hall, I grabbed Pam, saying "Pam, what did you mean, you have to tell me what you meant when you said I wouldn't get the chance to know what I was missing?"

Pam propped me against the wall so she could look at me. She just gazed at me for a minute, then answered, "By renouncing Eric, and all of your ties to him, you repudiate everything he's set in motion for your protection, which leaves you vulnerable to any vampire. Just because you don't want to be involved in vampire politics doesn't mean that there aren't those that will force the issue by virtue of threatening your life and loved ones. Felipe may have renounced any claim on you, but only under the stipulation that Eric keep you safe. Since you've declared you want nothing to do with him, and would have your Fae relatives remove him if he violates that, Eric will now be seen to have violated his oath to the King, which Felipe, unstable as he is, will most likely view as treason and there is no possibility of keeping this from becoming known to the King. You've basically given Eric either a death sentence or reduced him to serve as a virtual slave of the King."

I started sliding bonelessly down the wall in shock, but Pam picked me up with a sharp "Stop. If you come to an arrangement with Eric for your protection, he will be spared. A willing transference of protection would do the same as if he continued to provide for your security, as after tonight, there is likely no possibility he will want to be faced with you, especially once you start to date other men. And even if you said it in the heat of anger, you can be assured that the prince will have heard your vow about Eric not contacting you and noted it. And there is no doubt, Niall would love to destroy Eric." She hauled me back against her shoulder as we began to move down the hall again. Probably anticipating my query, Pam shook her head, saying, "Do not ask me. That is not my story to tell."

We stopped outside of Eric's door. She knocked telling me to wait. "I don't know if he will see you, but let me…" She didn't get a chance to finish as the door opened and there was Eric.

My love stood there, backlit by his office lights, looking more like a Norse god than I had ever seen. "Bring her in, Pam, then you may go over the damage at the front. I will join you when So…when I have finished."

Oh God, he wouldn't look at me. He couldn't even say my name. What had I done?

Pam unceremoniously hauled my leaking, shaking form inside Eric's office and deposited me on the couch, then turned and left, nodding slightly at Eric, expressing something beyond me at the moment. I tried to calm my sobs, knowing I needed to be able to talk rationally, or at least coherently. Eric seated himself behind his desk, still refusing to look at me. I clenched my fists in an effort to control myself and nearly blacked out from the pain. I forgot I was still injured and it was a testament to how seriously I'd fucked up that neither vampire had reacted to my fae-laced blood soaking my clothes. I don't know if it was the pain lancing through the bond or if I made a noise, but Eric finally looked at me. His expression remained in that terrible blankness as he took in the pathetic sight of me, covered in tears and snot, huddled in the ugly afghan with my blood smeared all over.

I gasped in a shuddering breath, knowing I needed to be the first to speak, that I was the one in the wrong. I started off hesitantly, but built up steam, letting all my thoughts pour out. "Er..Eric, I'm sorry. I'm so, so sorry. I had no right to speak to you that way, to accuse you of manipulating me and making me miserable. I'm the one to blame for any pain I have in my life, and I'm sorry it took Pam and Amelia to show me how selfish and horrible I've been. I'm sorry for ever making you feel like you were responsible for my life, I'm sorry for ever making you feel like you needed to change for me, I'm sorry for ever doing anything that made you think I don't care. I'm most especially sorry for coming into your life and causing chaos. You're not the one who needed to apologize; anything bad that's happened in the past, I brought on myself. I'm so, so sorry that I yelled at you and blamed you for things beyond your control, that should never have even been mentioned with you in the same sentence. And I would never, ever ask my great-grandfather to kill you. Oh, God, I'm sorry!"

I said the last in a wail, collapsing back into sobs. My emotions continued their downward spiral, free-falling without being able to sense my cornerstone of Eric's emotions. Eric just sat, beyond quiet, and waited for me to calm down.

I gasped in air and continued, "I know I've been horrible and manipulative and everything I ever accused you of, when you've done nothing but support me and try to make me happy. And I've thrown everything back in your face and I can never, ever apologize enough. But I need you to know that I'm sorry. And that I do appreciate everything and anything you've done for me, because I don't think you know that, but I really do." The more I said, the more I felt pulled into a bottomless pit of despondency. It was like my earlier overpowering rage had turned inside out to drag me down.

Eric was silent, then finally his cold, dead, terrible eyes met mine. "What do you expect now? Now that you have apologized and feel better about yourself, is everything fine and we can revert to the normal situation until you again decide you are unhappy? I do not know what you think to accomplish by this…display." As if his expression wasn't enough, the lack of contractions and the undercurrent of pain he couldn't quite hide made me feel even more insignificant.

"No, Eric, I know nothing can ever go back to the way it was. I just wanted you to know that I regret everything I said to you tonight. And while I thought I meant it at the time, I really, truly think and feel the opposite. I know my opinion doesn't matter to you, but you are a good man, the best I've ever known, and I'm ashamed of the way I've treated you. Nothing I do can make it right, but I wish to God it could. No one should ever be treated like that and I wish I had an excuse other than my pigheadedness and self-righteousness. I just…I'm just so sorry." I paused for a breath, glad my wounds had finally stopped oozing, and suddenly realized how I could save Eric from any punishments for my stupidity, no matter how dramatic the move would be, but the overwhelming urge to protect him drove all consideration of my normal actions from my head. I said the final death to any hope I could have for a future with my love.

"Eric, I'll, well, I know you don't deserve to have me around here, since all I do is get you into trouble, so I'm gonna leave Bon Temps, and Louisiana. Stan Davis had asked if I could take Barry's place in Texas, which makes sense now that I know I'm released from Felipe, and I don't want to cause you any more trouble, so I'll be taking his offer, telling him that you and I came to an agreement about it. That way, now that Felipe has Barry, and released me from any obligations, you won't get in trouble for having me in your area and making a nuisance of myself for you to have to protect." I tried to phrase it in a way that wouldn't indicate Pam had told me about Eric's looming punishment and to get the point across that I wasn't running away for my own sake, but removing myself out of consideration for him. I honestly couldn't believe I was going to leave my home, but given the way I'd been treating people, going away would hopefully make life easier for them. They wouldn't have to deal with the black hole that was me, sucking everyone I cared about into trouble and giving them pain in return for their support.

I finally, finally felt something from the bond, but it wasn't happy. Eric's emotions were reeling and the pain, oh the pain he was feeling almost stopped my heart. I suddenly realized how it looked for me to have ended our relationship on the basis of not wanting to be in vampire shit and then taking up on another vampire's offer, since he didn't know I'd talked to Pam. I rushed to reassure him.

"I don't want you to think that I'm happy working for other vampires that aren't you, but I don't want to cause you any more hassle. I need to leave and I can't afford to move without taking Stan's offer of employment, so that's my only choice. I'm not qualified to do much else besides waitress. Besides, once I'm gone, things should quiet back down around here, and you and Pam and everyone can go back to normal, like before I started getting y'all into trouble." I tried a smile here but it came out as a grimace. I couldn't feel anything from Eric, and he didn't say anything, so I figured we were done. I slowly, ponderously stood up, feeling ancient and empty. "I just want to apologize again, for all the pain I've caused you. Stay well, Eric, be well." I shuffled my way to the door, wanting to say more, but knowing I'd lost my chance forever.

As I reached the door, Eric quietly said, "Sookie." I hesitated, hoping, but he just said, "You should have your hands checked at the hospital. Goodbye, Sookie."

Oh God, the pain. Not from my hands, I could have cared less about them. But as I shuffled down the corridor, I thought I could collapse from the void that filled my soul. My mind and heart both cried out.

_Goodbye my love, my dearest friend. I hope my leaving keeps you safe and that you find happiness._


	5. Aggravation

A/N: Here's another chapter, since I got such a great response for the last one! See how that works? From here on out, the point of view switches back and forth. I wanted to capture Eric's reaction to the events of the night, but without losing Sookie's perspective. Hopefully no-one gets lost. Also, since it's Eric, the language gets more forceful, but nothing more than we'd expect from our currently unhappy Viking.

Disclaimer: I don't have title to anything, except the pain and suffering I'm putting them through.

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Aggravation _n _an increase in intensity, seriousness or severity, act of making worse

SPOV

I made it to the car and halfway home before pulling over and completely collapsing. How much can a person cry before there are no more tears? I wound myself into my filthy afghan, curled sideways on the seat and shoved a corner in my mouth to stop from wailing. I would give myself this last catharsis, before stopping the tears. It was all my fault; I didn't deserve to cry over the end of my world. I had finally done what I had blamed the Supes for and destroyed my life. Now I was going into voluntary exile, away from all my friends and the only man I will ever love, because I had created my own version of Hell and brought it into my life. I would never forgive myself, but I could hope that Eric was protected and that my friends would find life easier once I was gone. I admit, I even had a fleeting thought of killing myself to relieve the endless ache in my heart, but realized instantly it was not only against my religion and common sense, but yet another selfish thought, especially since who knew what snapping the bond like that would do to Eric. I must have been indulging in my pity party for a good half hour before I slowly became aware of my surroundings again. What had I heard?

It was a car door slamming, and footsteps approaching. Wow, I must have been out of it to not realize there were thought signatures coming near. Great, just what I needed was a Good Samaritan checking on an abandoned car and seeing me like this at three in the morning. I started to sit up, rubbing my face with the afghan but probably just making the mess worse. I attempted to comb through the rat's nest on my head, when all of a sudden I heard the intent of whoever was approaching me.

_That's her, the fangbanging slut! Grab her!_

I barely had time to scream before my car door was thrown open and two large men grabbed my limbs still mostly trapped by the afghan. I was panicking, trying to resist, but one wrapped his beefy hands around my neck and started squeezing, just enough to restrict my air flow. As I felt the black of unconsciousness threaten, I attempted to send out my last panicked thoughts and feelings of helplessness.

_Eric! Find me! I don't deserve it, but if you ever loved me, please, please save me!_

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EPOV

As my darling began her obviously painful retreat from my presence, I allowed the bond to open to her emotions. I desperately had to know if she was sincere in her remorse, or if this was another effort to control me. The pain and despair she felt flooded over me, mixing with my own anguish and sense of betrayal. Throughout her oration, I had wanted to relent, to hold her and calm her tears, but I couldn't risk it. She'd already discarded my attentions once and the pain was greater than many injuries I had received in battle. As I felt her reach her car, I picked up the nearest object on my desk, the phone, and hurled it against the far wall with a dreadful roar. Why, why couldn't she trust me to keep her safe? Why couldn't she admit that I know what to do to save both our skins from the machinations of my kind?

My despair turned to fury as I continued throwing things around my office. Fuck it all. Why did I have to fucking fall in love with her? I had gone one thousand years without the burdens of deep emotions, so why did this infuriating woman, who could not even respect me as her equal, captivate me so? Had I actually thought to make a relationship work with a mere human? Humans are only good for feeding and fucking and getting attached was definitely not on the agenda, so why should I have thought differently about her? Well, no more. I was done being weak and acting on emotions better left forgotten that only opened me to the scorn of my kind. This matter was done as far I could see. She would be leaving my area, my state, and I could learn to be free of her. Gods damn it all, I am vampire; it's time I acted it.

I felt Pam approach, and for a wonder, my child knocked at my door instead of simply entering. "Master, may I come in?"

"Enter, Pam." I wanted to get this over with so I could put anything to do with Sookie far from my mind.

"Master." Pam was certainly treading lightly as she even bowed upon opening the door. "I heard a crash and was concerned." She looked around at the chaos I had created, chaos reminiscent of my tumultuous emotions, and seemed to almost sigh, but my ever-correct child restrained herself and asked directly, "What happened?"

I was briefly irritated that she would question me, but reminded myself that Pam considered herself a friend to Sookie, and was concerned for me as well. "Sookie will be moving to Texas to work for Stan Davis. One wonders how she knew that such an arrangement would be mutually beneficial in this situation," I said pointedly, knowing Pam would have to have interfered in order for Sookie to have any knowledge that such a move would protect me from Felipe's strictures in releasing Sookie.

"Oh, she took my advice then? Master, I apologize for interfering, but in my anger at her obtuseness, I may have let slip the matter of your agreement with Felipe for her protection. I am surprised she agreed to leave her family home, but I have heard that guilt is a highly motivating factor in humans."

"The move was actually her idea. Apparently Stan had approached her after Barry moved to Las Vegas to work for Felipe." I really wanted to be done with this discussion, especially since I was more than a little incensed that Stan had the fucking gall to ask for my bonded's services behind my back.

"Master, did she say anything else? She was a wreck when I brought her inside, crying and begging that she be allowed to speak to you." Pam almost sounded concerned.

"She apologized, abjectly." There, brief, to the point and not touching on how empty the next sixty years looked to be without my love, or on the pain that she did not return my affections. Fuck, there I went again whining on about love and pain!

I should have known my terseness would not stop Pam. "Did she explain what she was remorseful for, or simply give a blanket apology? Dear Abbey says it is more effective to show one knows what error has been committed."

"Pamela, I do not feel the need to…." Suddenly the bond shook, and I felt my dead heart quake as if being squeezed by a fist. I have never felt such terror mixed with guilt and part of me realized that something extraordinary was happening. Our bond, strong though it was ordinarily, was partially closed through my efforts and Sookie should not have been able to transmit such powerful emotions in the first place. I was suddenly buffeted by the sense of my bonded's presence, and a message in her voice thundered through my mind. _Eric! Find me! I don't deserve it, but if you ever loved me, please, please save me!_

As suddenly as the wave of emotion started, it stopped. Frantic, I reached out to Sookie, fully opening the bond. I could barely get a sense of her life force, but at least I knew she was alive. Gradually, I returned to myself and heard Pam calling for me, a concerned and slightly fearful look on her face. "Master, what…"

"Sookie is in trouble. We must leave, now." Even though she had ripped my heart out and rejected me just this evening, I could not abandon her. I was even slightly exhilarated that she had reached out to me; maybe there was hope after all. Fuck it, I can't escape caring for her. She has been and will be MINE, damn it, even if I have to fight her every fucking step of the way. I would punish her greatly for tonight, then fuck her into submission if necessary, but I had to retrieve her first.

Grabbing my sword that never strays from my office, Pam and I rushed for the parking lot. I concentrated, but could only get the merest suggestion of Sookie's life force. I threw the car into gear, deciding to head toward Bon Temps as she surely would have been heading for the comforts of home after our stressful interview.

We flew along the highway, but my sense of my bonded only grew slightly, as if she was continuing on in the same direction we were going. I suddenly spotted her car pulled off on the side of the road, and I pulled over behind it and leapt from the car. Pam was only a few steps behind me, scouting around the area, while I raced to the driver's side, with its door standing damningly open. I leant in to see if I could catch a scent. The car smelled overwhelmingly of Sookie's pain, guilt, tears and blood, with a sharp tang of fear. There was a faint scent of human, tinged with a hatred that alarmed me. _Oh my darling, what have you gotten yourself into now?_

I vowed that once I had her back, and I would have her back, that we would sit down and discuss everything. Fuck Stan; she would not leave me! I would lock her up in my room until she came to her senses and realized she was mine and mine alone.

"She is not here and I only caught the faintest whiff of other humans," I snapped to Pam. "I can barely sense her anymore. She is unconscious, and being moved past Bon Temps," I snarled, frustrated with my inability to protect my bonded.

"Master, may I suggest requesting the witch's help? A tracking spell or an ectoplasmic reconstruction? Also…" Pam uncharacteristically trailed off and looked anywhere but at me. My patience as well as emotions were already stretched to the breaking point and Pam's reticence was not helping.

"Pamela, what do you want to say? We have to find Sookie before she is injured further, so just say what you are thinking!" I barked.

Pam was still hesitant, merely saying, "I think we need to visit Amelia first. This was her thought."

I could tell I wouldn't get anything else out of her, and desperately wanted to pick up Sookie's piece of shit car and throw it as far as I could, but I at least had the common sense to realize that would not help smooth things over with my volatile bonded. "Fine, let's go see the witch."

After arriving at Sookie's home, and finding the witch awake with her were and the shifter both present, frantic after Sookie had torn out of the house to come apologize, I got down to business. "Witch, my child says you have a theory regarding my bonded." I wasn't asking.

"Eric, you haven't been around lately, which I'm sure you have a good reason for, but she hasn't been herself lately. I mean, really, she's been withdrawn and touchy and likely to snap at anyone for no apparent reason. And she doesn't even seem to realize it. She's fine one minute, then sullen and angry, going on about how her life sucks because of vampires, and well…"

I grimaced and finished for her, "and the bond. I know I should have explained it, but the bond would not be having this effect. There may be moodiness when either partner senses the emotions of the other, but with the distance, it should not have affected her. I have also endeavoured to control my end, limiting what is sent. Since she blamed the bond for her feelings, I wanted to give her time and space to sort out what she felt was real." I was slightly shocked that I had opened up my private life so much, let alone to three fucking strangers, but Pam nodded significantly at the witch. I narrowed my eyes, understanding now that Sookie's friend had a talent for manipulating others to tell her things, which could be useful later on. But this was not saving my lover and I said as much.

"This is not helping us save Sookie. Why are we discussing the past now?"

Surprisingly, it was the shifter who spoke up. "Eric, those of us that have been around lately," oh, he was not subtle, this shifter, "have realized that something's not right with Sook, and if you say it's not the bond, well, I believe you." That was gracious of him. He continued, "And from what I've heard about it, it shouldn't cause such a specific reaction. Amelia and I think something is controlling Sookie's moods and reactions for some reason, and it may be involved in her abduction. Now, I'm not saying we need to deal with it right this minute, since we need to get her back first, but we wanted you to be aware of our suspicions, just in case."

An external manipulator could actually explain quite a bit, if it was magically induced and had prepared her exceptionally violent reaction to me earlier tonight. Too many others desired my bonded for me to discount such a theory, especially as it accounted for her abrupt anger before we had a chance to work things out between us. I felt my anger and resentment at her harsh words ease, somehow sensing Sookie had not been herself. But again, this was neither here nor there at the moment. I whipped out my phone and snarled into it, "Compton! Meet me at my bonded's house now!" I hung up, not wanting the idiot to respond with questions, but anticipating the need for another fighter.

"Now, what can we do to find her? Our bond, while strong, is stretched from her rejection earlier and I can only get the vaguest sense of her life force. Suggestions?" I brusquely demanded.

Pam actually interceded, saying soothingly to the unnerved witch, "Amelia, what can be done to find the missing half of a bonded pair? Do you know of any tracking spells, or…"

My child was interrupted by a suddenly re-energized witch. "Bonded pair, of course! I've got just the thing, although…" she hesitated, then with great courage, looked straight into my eyes and asked, "Eric, I can do something, but I have to know, do you love her? Would you do anything for her?"

I snarled at her, showing a bit of fang, not wanting to expose more of myself than I already had. She remained calm, continuing, "What I'm about to suggest can actually make the bond tighter, so I need to know if you can live with it. I know you already have a permanent bond, but this could have far-reaching consequences that I can't predict. If you do end up tied together even more, and she still rejects the bond, it will be much more painful for you, but this is the only thing I can think of that will track her."

With that statement, I needed no further urging, saying, "Yes, I will do it, no matter the consequences. We need to find her, now! Just do it!"

"Ok, then, I'm going to use you as a tracer, and make your bond appear in the physical, rather than simply metaphysical, realm. If it works, the bond should cast a line of light to follow until we find her."

I was not overly thrilled with her apparent lack of confidence, but she gathered her materials and efficiently instructed everyone in their roles. The were and shifter lit candles, forming a circle around me, as I sat and concentrated on my lover as instructed. I closed my eyes as the witch began to chant, visualizing what I had only seen in my fantasies, the sunlight on Sookie's hair and her tanned skin glowing golden in the light. I pictured her beautiful face, turned up to laugh at me and her exquisite body under mine in the throes of ecstasy. I swore to myself that we would be together again, that she would be mine again. With that thought, there were surprised murmurs from the men and even Pam. I opened my eyes, seeing a weak light beaming from what seemed to be my chest out the door. We had our direction.

_I'm coming, my love, I'm coming._


	6. Terror

A/N: So, back to Sookie's POV. Things are starting to pick up, but this is basically just an excuse to for emotional exposition. As if I haven't done enough of that! But, we're getting ever closer to some juicy bits! Depending on reviews, I could be persuaded to do more than one chap a day (hint, hint). I had too much fun playing with redneck accents here, so blame trans-Atlantic phone calls to Tennessee.

Disclaimer: Sadly, still not mine.

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Terror _n_ intense, sharp, overmastering fear

SPOV

When I came to, the first thing I noticed was the scream-inducing pain in my hands. Mainly I noticed this since I was screaming at the top of my lungs. The tendons and ligaments were tight from the heat of the explosion and lack of movement, while the cuts from various bits of metal and glass were beyond stinging. Being tied down to a bench really didn't help matters, either. It took me almost a full minute of belting out my agony before I realized no-one was coming to shut me up. I stopped wailing, focusing the pain by biting my lip instead and concentrated on the thought signatures around me.

I counted maybe ten humans, and one odd blip that seemed vaguely familiar, but was only present for a moment before vanishing off my 'radar'. None were close to me, or even seemingly aware I was awake, even though I had been screaming loud enough to wake the dead. Or, I hoped, the undead. I thought of Eric, and, again reaching past the pain of my hands, opened the bond as much as I knew how. It was still covered in that fog, although it wasn't as cold to my senses as it had been and seemed to be even slightly brighter. He seemed to be on the move, but whether it was toward me or not, I couldn't tell. I wished we could have just sat down and discussed what the bond could and couldn't do and how to use it for these, sadly, not infrequent situations I found myself in.

Figuring I couldn't do anything overt with the bond, I just left my end as open as possible, hoping Eric would use it to find me, if I hadn't completely alienated my one chance at a rescue. With that thought, I figured I may as well use the time I found on my hands to digest everything that had happened in the past few hours. Was it really the same night as when Amelia and I had arrived at Fangtasia in anticipation of my talk with Eric? I thought back over all the things I had said and had had said to me and fought back even more tears. For the life of me, I couldn't figure out why I had said most, if not all, of what I had. I mean, sure I resented the hell out of being treated like a pet by most vamps, but I knew Eric never commanded me to do anything, at least not without a reason, even if he didn't always care to share those reasons. That was really the crux of the matter: I hated not having control, or at least being informed. I was suspicious of the bond, but like I had realized earlier, it was a done deal and I knew it was better than the alternative of Andre. I just needed to know more about it and Eric had been willing to discuss it tonight before I inexplicably blew my stack. I mean, sure I have a temper, but to go postal over his using 'my lover'? I'd been hearing that phrase for so long now that I barely even noticed it anymore, so why did it suddenly send me off the deep end?

I sniffled, not wanting to cry for the umteenth time tonight, as I realized that that had been the last time I'd ever hear Eric call me that. I was so scared about leaving home, but more so at leaving Eric. How could I cope, now that I'd both accepted the bond and my love for him? Now that I knew what I could have had and would have to live with the fact that I had lost it myself for the rest of my life? I knew, though, that I deserved to be on my own, suffering through a life without Eric. How could I have been so cruel?

And even aside from all my strikes against Eric, I couldn't ignore how I'd been withdrawing from my friends. Gran would be beyond ashamed of my behaviour lately and I was sadly glad she hadn't seen it. The more I thought about my actions, the more I tumbled down into a deep depression. Amelia and Sam may forgive me in time, but Eric was surely lost to me. And I had no one to blame but myself, even if I didn't feel like I'd been myself lately.

Through my anguish, I felt brain patterns approaching. It seemed about half the group were traipsing my way, so I listened in. Oh joy, these yahoos were Fellowship of the Sun members. Just what I needed to make my night worse. The door opened, allowing five hulking men to come in. The sight of me tied helpless on the table evoked some of the most depraved thoughts I'd ever heard, which is saying a lot as both a barmaid and an attendee of Fangtasia. I rapidly named three of the men Sleaze, Slimeball, and Perv in my head, while the other two I just worked on blocking out.

"So, bitch, you're awake. Good, that makes this so much more fun," Sleaze said, a disgusting smirk on his ugly face. He started laying out what looked like a set of butcher knives on a nearby shelf. "Need to make you see the error of those sinful ways of yorn, hanging out with filthy vamps. You oughta be 'shamed of yourself, nice girl like you getting mixed up with those abominations."

Perv, an ox-like mound of muscle who looked like he hadn't bathed in at least a month, solemnly intoned, "But we shall cleanse you and deliver you to God free of your sins. Your soul will be saved." Somehow I really didn't feel comforted or close to God at the moment. I kept quiet, though; it felt like nothing they could do to me would be worse than what I deserved. I could barely muster being scared, given the bleakness of my emotions.

Slimeball chimed in, "Have it on good authority that you and that big bloodsucker over Shreveport way have this fuckin' odd-ass connection, so we're just gonna rough ya up a bit, have lover-boy come sniffing around. Once we stake the bastard, we get to have some fun with ya 'fore turning you over to some other nice folks."

Ok, now that shook me out of my angst-a-thon. I was getting beyond scared, which sent my thoughts racing, panic overriding logic. Who knew about the blood bond, besides my friends, Felipe, which meant Victor, and Niall? I didn't want to believe it was any of the Bon Temps group, so that left the last three, although why would my great-grandfather let these rednecks hurt me? And wasn't I the one who had been leaping for joy to spend time with my family earlier? So why was I doubting Niall now? Taking out Eric, if I believed Pam, wouldn't be a problem, but I just couldn't see him being ok with my being injured. Felipe and his stooge, though, especially given Eric's bargain for my freedom, well that idea had possibilities. And I wasn't looking forward to the meaning of "turning me over". The new king of Louisiana and his second in command were likely to take the 'turning' idea a step too far for my liking, my panicked brain disregarding the fact that even if they just took me, Eric would be dead and I would be a slave.

Oh, God, Eric! He was probably close if he was coming for me, and the ever-clearing bond seemed to ping with anticipation. He didn't know it was a set-up! My momentary panic almost overrode Sleaze's thought.

_Oh, bitch won't know what hit her. Gonna send a message to all those fang-lovers. Gonna carve her up good, but gotta keep her just barely alive._

With that final thought, I knew I would die one way or the other, and that I would never see Eric again. I reached out once more, sending as much love as I could summon, along with all my hopes for Eric to find happiness.

_I'm sorry my love. I'm sorry I never told you how deeply I love and respect you and that I never let you in. I'm sorry I won't be able to tell you. Goodbye my dear Eric._

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Just remember, Sookie's not all there right now, so any OOC is intentional. Oh, and reviews=updates....the next few chaps are just sitting, waiting to be published and they're getting lonely. Especially since we're barrelling toward some E/S/N!


	7. Amplification

A/N: Hmm, some more plot building, a bit of cliche and a bit of veering off course. Just remember- if it seems too easy, it probably is! This chap's dedicated to everyone who stuck with me through the serious angst, even while pleading for some more romantic/reconciliation scenes. I appreciate your willingness to suffer with Eric and Sookie!

Disclaimer: See, I can treat my toys well, even if they are just borrowed!

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Amplification _n_ the act or result of amplifying, enlarging, or extending, expansion

EPOV

Once Compton joined us, acting put upon until he understood Sookie was missing, we got underway, with my Corvette leading the shifter behind, following the thin threads of the bond as the witch continued her incantation. It was a decidedly odd feeling, as though my heart, unused dead flesh that it is, was being tugged along to find its mate. Fuck, what had that woman done to me that I was waxing poetic? I did get a sense of satisfaction when I caught Compton's envious glances at the glowing physical representation of the bond tying Sookie irrevocably to me, and me to her. The light emanating from my chest was glowing ever brighter as we raced through the few hours left of darkness. I could feel we were getting close, probably within minutes of her position. There was suddenly that tightening feeling in my heart, and again, I heard my lover's voice.

_I'm sorry my love. I'm sorry I never told you how deeply I love and respect you and that I never let you in. I'm sorry I won't be able to tell you. Goodbye my dear Eric._

"NO!" I cried out. She was giving up, giving in. I could feel her total despair, tucked under a blast of the love I so desperately wanted from her. The others turned to me in shock, but I ignored them, pushing the car to its dangerous limits. I tried to send her hope, along with my own message. I had no idea if it would get through, but I had to try. I wasn't going to fucking lose her now!

_No! Lover, hold on! I am coming! You WILL live! _

I vowed to leave an offering to the gods of my human days when I heard a reply, accompanied by a thickening of the threads of the bond.

_Eric? No! It's a trap! You can't be here, you can't die! Go back, let me go!_

Oh, my darling, you can't think I could be this close and not risk anything to save you. I sent as much calm and love as I could.

_Stop, Sookie. Neither of us will die this night. We have things to discuss, you and I, and I intend to hold you in my arms again._

The witch's comment about her spell strengthening our connection was apparently an understatement, as with that final thought, and all the calm and love we were sending and receiving, the bond opened and became more than I could ever have dreamed. I was awash with the very essence of Sookie, which was overwhelmingly coloured with guilt and despair, although covered with a blanket of love. I saw my lover as a small, lonely girl wishing her parents were alive. I saw her grow into a beautiful young woman, socially awkward and outcast because of her gift, although she viewed it as a disability. I saw her meeting with Bill, but experienced the quiet of his mind from her perspective, and finally understood the attraction. Although, after seeing first his taking of her innocence, which any vampire with half a brain would have smelled on her, and then what happened before I released them from the trunk of that car, Compton's days were numbered. My darling, while viewing my own past, apparently sensed my disgust and rage and sent a soothing flood of images of the two of us, laughing together, loving together. Given the true emotions flowing from her, the witch's theory about Sookie's recent actions was practically verified. I couldn't wait to sink my fangs into whoever was fucking with my bonded.

I was uncomfortable, not with Sookie seeing so much of me, as there was no-one else I would trust with my history, but with her reaction to me. I have done some terrible things that would not agree with my lover's delicate and human sensibilities. I regretted none of it, but would be damned if a tightening of the ties between us was what permanently drove her from my side. I was amazed, therefore, to feel not only her sweet shyness at being so exposed before me and her deep love for me, but her total acceptance that who I was made me who I am today, and surprisingly, all she wanted was for me to be myself. Gods, this woman was both my strength and my weakness, building me up only to have me turn into a sap to rival Compton.

All this passed in seconds, but left us with a deep visceral connection. There was no turning back now; she was MINE, forever. The sense of her faded, but remained as strong as if she were sitting next to me. I felt her in my most inner self, where my soul would be if indeed I possessed one, something I have never been sure about after I rose as vampire. I felt that if I wanted to, I could look through her eyes, but as I was still driving, I relied on Sookie to tell me how many there were.

As we reached a safe distance from the isolated barn where the fuckers had taken my lover, I barked out to the others, minus the witch, "Five men, human, in a small room with an additional five or six lurking in the woods." Anticipating their questions about my knowledge of the situation, I snapped, "We will discuss this later; we must move NOW!" I felt Sookie's fear spike again, but we were already moving, spreading out through the sparse woods around the building. I was nearly grinning in anticipation of a fight, the night's emotional upheaval leaving me unsettled and desirous of bloodshed. The guards were merely human and no match for our group. They barely even slowed us down, as we unfortunately could not afford to leave ten human corpses lying in an abandoned farmstead. Subdue and incapacitate was the order of the day, plus it would gain points in my lover's favour.

We regrouped at the door to the barn. Pam was grinning, a delightfully feral expression, and both the were and shifter seemed to be enjoying themselves. Compton, I refused to acknowledge, knowing I was barely able to restrain myself with the bloodlust in my veins. Hearing Sookie scream and feeling her flash of pain, I lost all control. I barrelled through the door, determined to cut down anything between me and my love. Four sturdy humans moved out of a side chamber, but it was the work of a moment to knock them unconscious. I noted idly that one had swiped me in the ribs with a silver knife, something all were carrying, but ignored the pain. There was still one fucker left and he was in a room where my bonded had cried out in agony. Oh, he was a dead man.

I was surprised, however, that upon kicking the door off its hinges, the only occupant of the room was Sookie, tied to a table with various implements laid out. I sniffed the air, definitely aware there had been someone else in the room, but moved to untie my lover. Mindful of Sookie's earlier warning that it was a trap, I carefully examined the area, but saw nothing untoward. As I reached her side, the others came stumbling in through the open doorway, making a less than graceful entrance.

"It's about time y'all got here," came the dry voice of my lover. Out loud, she sounded relieved and even cheerful, but I could feel her imminent emotional and physical collapse through the bond. We were no longer sharing thoughts, but the deeper emotional tie was still present. I had a feeling it would never really fade and felt smug that she finally belonged to me. There'd be no talk of leaving me for fucking Stan, and as soon as we figured out what was causing her to act in such a violent manner, I'd make sure she knew to whom she belonged. I glanced down and saw her beautiful face, drawn with fatigue and pain, covered in tear tracks and smeared blood. Her hands, still untreated from the earlier blast, were an angry red, but it was the obvious handprints around her neck that stirred my blood again. Despite my desire to go drain every single one of those miserable excrescences dry, I smiled gently, making sure she felt only positive emotions from me.

"Now, you troublesome woman, will you consent to take my blood to heal you?"

Before she had the chance to answer, Pam began grumbling, "You could have left some for us, Master. It was greedy to take all of them and Dear Abbey says greed is not a socially correct action." I saw and felt Sookie slightly relax with Pam's statement and silently thanked my child for her timing.

"Tie them up and place all of them in a room with a lock. We will call the authorities. Be wary; one is unaccounted for." I registered Pam practically shoving Compton out the door as he made to come to Sookie. The others left, leaving the two of us alone. I restrained her from rising on her own, unsure if she could support herself, but instead carefully slipped my arms under her knees and shoulders. For a moment, I simply held her close, revelling in the fact she was still alive.

"Dearest, I need to know where the other one went. I can tell there was a fifth in here, but where did he go?"

"I don't know. Two of them stood at the door, and there was one who stood behind my head, so I couldn't see him. He told the other two to press on my hands, that's why I screamed. I didn't see him leave. I'm sorry, Eric. I'm useless, I guess." She suddenly flooded the bond with wild, dark emotions. "I don't know what's wrong with me! Eric, I'm scared! Something's not right and it hasn't been for awhile, but I can't stand it. I don't know why you're being so nice to me. I'm such a horrible person and I said all those things to you and I didn't mean any of it, I swear, so please, please forgive me. I don't have any right to ask you, I know, but…." My lover's voice trailed off into sobs.

I was terrified, feeling her spiral into a black abyss. The witch was right; this was not normal. I cradled my bonded's shaking frame against my chest, stroking her hair.

"Hush, my darling, hush. There is nothing to forgive, calm yourself." She wasn't reacting, so I attempted to open this new connection and force her to see I truly didn't blame her anymore. We would have a longer discussion of what prompted her actions, and I would punish her pleasurably for not trusting me, but at the moment I was desperate to retain her sanity, which I could feel slipping away.

Once she felt my sincerity and my support, she calmed slightly, but I felt her teetering on a precarious edge. "My love, please, take my blood and heal yourself. Once the pain is gone, we can talk rationally. Please, dear one," I was close to begging, but I would force her if necessary. I hoped my blood would not only heal her wounds, but would stabilize the wildness of her emotions by bringing the security of the bond to the fore. I didn't give her time to argue, but simply bit my wrist and held it to her lips. She hesitated long enough to gasp in a breath, but then latched on and suckled with the energy of a newborn. The instant my blood hit her tongue, we were transported back to that bond-created world where only we existed. I watched the grey and dark colours around her gradually brighten into those I normally associate with my bonded: bright golds and greens, representing her as my sunshine and the daytime world. Sookie's emotions balanced and again, I sensed that whatever had been causing first her irrational anger and then this unwarranted despair was not a natural phenomenon. I reluctantly pulled my wrist away once she had had enough. The bond faded again, back to its new level of awareness, but not before I heard my lover think what I had been yearning to hear.

_Eric, I love you._


	8. Reconciliation

A/N: So, who else thinks that last chapter was too easy? Don't worry, Eric's not caving as easily as it seems. I hope everyone's staying intrigued. Lots more to go! This is pretty much just filler to set up for the next chapter, which will be out tomorrow, I promise!

Disclaimer: See, I can put them back together after taking them apart! I'm always careful with my toys.

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Reconciliation _n_ the act of reconciling, to reconcile is to reestablish a close relationship

SPOV

After taking Eric's blood, I felt infinitely better. My mood was brighter than it had been in a long time and finally felt like it belonged to me. Given the comparison, I could now easily see that I hadn't been really feeling anything other than anger and distrust for weeks now, except for that plunging despair I found myself in after realizing I'd hurt Eric. The lack of pain was a major mood-booster, but more significant was the man tenderly holding me in his arms. I slowly raised my eyes to meet his, still stunned that after all was said and done he could forgive me. I couldn't really believe it, knowing I'd never forgive me if our situations were reversed. Our eyes locked and the bond, this new living thing between us, pulsed with jolts of happiness and relief, although I could tell Eric was worrying about something underneath it all. The look in his eyes was enough to make me blush, but I raised one of my hands to his cheek. He never broke eye contact, but turned his head enough to brush my palm with his lips.

Typically, our tender moment was interrupted. Pam, Bill, Tray and Sam stood in the open doorway. Pam was almost gleeful, although it was hard to tell if that was from the earlier fight or finding us in a clinch. Tray was unconcerned, but it was Bill and Sam I was most worried about. Sam, surprisingly, only looked happy that I was ok. Bill, however, still wasn't able to let go and stood glowering at Eric. I sighed, as I was not up for the petulance of Mr. Compton tonight. Fortunately, Pam said, "I am glad you're alright, Sookie. It's never dull with you around. Master, we must return; it's almost dawn. The authorities will be here shortly and will be in contact tomorrow evening."

Jeez, I'd forgotten it was still the same night. I was beyond amazed at how light I felt emotionally, especially in comparison with earlier.

"Very well. I thank you all for assisting in the recovery of my lover. Leave us and we will follow momentarily." That was my Viking: direct and to the point.

The others trooped off, with Bill shooting a pleading look at me that would have been pitiful if it wasn't so annoying.

"Sookie, I wish you to remain close to me during the day, and for us to talk when I rise. Will you stay at my house?" He actually sounded nervous, when I was the one still in the wrong and could refuse him nothing.

"I'd like to stay close to you, too, Eric. But, I mean, after everything I said, do you really want me to stay with you?" I had felt his sincerity earlier, but I had a hard time coming to grips with everything that had happened.

"Dear one, I would rather you stay nearby than be worried you weren't with me. We must talk, if only to set your mind at ease, but as it's close to dawn, we must wait."

"Alright, I'll stay with you. I'll probably sleep all day anyway. I'm so tired." I was more exhausted from the emotion strain than I had ever been. I could barely keep my eyes open to see us move out into the pre-dawn, but was startled awake by Amelia's shout.

"Sookie! You're alright! How do you feel, are your hands better?" I was too tired to keep up my shields, so I was bombarded by her mental shouts as well. _Just wait until he tells her about the bond, oh I hope she's not mad, and did it break the other thing? It should have, I think; I'll have to do some more research. _

Oh, this sounded interesting. Too bad I was too overcome with guilt still to pursue it. "'Meals, I'm fine. And I just want to say that I'm sorry for pulling away from you lately and that you were right earlier, about pretty much everything, Pam, you too. I promise, if you'll let me, I promise I'll be a better friend from now on." I felt tears welling up again, although Eric shifted me in his arms to rub his hand up and down my arm.

Amelia hurried to reassure me, "Oh, no, sweetie, it's ok. I'm not mad at you or hurt or anything. You just have a good night's, well, day's sleep and we'll catch up later."

I smiled at her, saying another thankful prayer for the blessings of my friends.

Eric intervened with, "Pam, take my car back to Fangtasia; I will pick it up tomorrow. Again, I thank all of you for your assistance. I will be taking my lover home with me."

Bill opened his mouth to object, no doubt, but Eric apparently shot him down with a look.

"Thank you, everyone, for coming for me. I really do appreciate it." I added, getting nods and wishes of a good sleep back. The cars left, and I realized my Viking would be flying us home. If I wasn't halfway asleep, I would have been shrieking.

"Sookie, I have a house near here. It's too far to get to Shreveport before the sun. Just hold on to me and you'll be able to rest soon." With that, we were airborne. I can't really describe the sensation, but I felt safe cocooned in my love's arms. Soon, we were touching down in the backyard of a non-descript suburban house. Eric managed to open the door with me still in his grasp. I had a vague impression of a living room with a huge TV before being whisked up a flight of stairs and carefully set down on a bed that felt like heaven to my tired body. I was too tired to give more than a passing thought to my healed, but still filthy body on clean sheets.

"My love," Eric said in a quiet, tender tone, "I would ask that you allow me to come to you when I rise tonight. Our bond has been strained and then strengthened and I am in desperate need of you. If it were not for the sun, I would be renewing our physical connection as well. If you are still set on leaving me, tell me now, please, and I will arrange to have you taken home tonight."

My heart was practically aching for the hurt I had dealt this proud, caring man. "Oh, Eric, I can't leave you. Don't you see, I love you and I think I may have for a long time. I don't know why everything happened that did lately, but I am sorry and I do want to be with you, more than anything. But only if you want to be with me."

Instead of answering me, Eric simply leaned down and touched his lips to mine. It was chaste, but the emotions from the bond made it feel like the most passionate of embraces. He pulled back, slightly smirking at my panting breath. "Good night, dear one. Sleep well and dream of me." Oh, there was my Viking. I had been getting concerned with his lack of ego. I laid my head down and was out before Eric closed the door.

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Ok, I've thought about it, and since this one was so short, and the next one is the good stuff, I'll leave it up to you if you want it today or tomorrow. Either way, it'll be the last chappie until Monday, as I'm off to London for the weekend. So...instant or delayed gratification? Let me know!


	9. Conjoin

A/N: Ok, the unanimous result was more, now. So, here it is. This is both my favourite and most troublesome chapter yet. It's my first ever lovin' scene, and while it seemed to flow with unnerving ease onto the page, I'm hesitant to reveal it. I hope it fits with your ideas of my versions of our hero and heroine. Eric's not one to care about talking things out before sex and Sookie's been through so much emotionally that she barely knows which way is up. Besides, who'd turn Eric down, especially when feeling guilty?! I was experimenting a bit with the flow and feeling, so the tense changes and other literary tricks were purposeful. So, onto the last chapter for the week. Hope it doesn't disappoint!

Disclaimer: Nope, not mine, otherwise we'd see this in the books!

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Conjoin _v _to join together, unite, combine

SPOV

I waited nervously beside the door to my room for him to rise, the anticipation and anxiety from the previous night building to a head. I had slept the majority of the day, waking only a few hours before sundown and grabbing a shower in the sinfully decadent bathroom. I had been perplexed about what to wear, since I didn't want to touch my blood soaked clothes again, but a brief examination of the closets and drawers in 'my room' had turned up a small selection of clothes in my size. I waited for the anger and irritation to show up, but was surprised to feel only amusement at my Viking's preparations. The kitchen also produced an array of human comestibles, so I fixed myself a quick dinner. At least the activity took my mind off the rest of the night to come. I had also found spare sheets, red of course, in a hall closet, so I stripped the filthy ones and remade the bed, making sure everything was tucked and plumped appropriately.

Now, though, I was fidgeting, my ever-active mind whirling. Was this really happening? How could he forgive me? Was I ready for this declaration of my feelings? Eric appeared in the doorway and one glance in his sparkling eyes quelled all my doubts. He was smiling my favourite smile, the one that lit up his eyes and made me feel completely safe. We both moved to the other and, once in his deliciously strong arms, I knew instantly that no matter what, this is where I belong.

Once the world was shut away behind the door, even though we were the only ones in the house, he moved to the bed, watching me slowly go to his side, letting me work out my nervous tension. I could see in his oh-so-expressive eyes complete acceptance, forgiveness, and understanding and I knew he'd take care of me and let me set the pace.

He finally managed to manoeuvre me into the usual position on the bed, with him against the headboard and me seated in between his legs. His large hands began to work their magic. Even as he soothed away my tension, my desire for him skyrocketed at the feel of his strong, capable, protective hands. These hands have killed for me, just as they have loved me. I could only stand so much delightful torture before being overwhelmed, but Eric, as per usual, knew just when to change tracks. His strokes turned into caresses, slipping beneath my shirt. At that first contact of skin on skin, I felt a jolt of electricity, and I could tell from the sudden surge in his emotions, he did as well.

I suddenly couldn't stand not having his lips on mine, so I wriggled in his arms until his lips were in reach. A sweet, gentle caress of lips quickly became passionate, with duelling tongues and a burning desire to possess the other. I reached for his shirt the same time he reached for mine, causing a jumble of cloth and limb that set us both laughing. I love hearing his laugh, especially when in his arms. It's the one sound that makes all troubles fade away and I know all is right with the world. I managed to convince him to let me take care of him first; I can't always do that in the real world, but here in our private sphere, I wanted to show him I wasn't afraid anymore.

The ache for his skin against mine intensified, especially as I caught his gaze. I don't think he knows how hypnotic his eyes are, other than in the traditional vampire glamour sense. I adore gazing into them to determine how he feels, instead of relying on the bond. Now, of course, our intertwined souls give and take freely, but I still wanted to look him in the eyes. Gentleness, intensity, happiness were all so clear in his eyes at that moment, and I felt already bare as his eyes held mine. I know what mine were trying to say, which is what I always try to show him since words have a habit of failing me. His crystalline blue orbs were so piercing, I began to wonder if he could see everything I was thinking, beyond what the bond allows, and the thought sent delightful shivers down my spine.

Taking my time, I slowly divested him of his shirt, running my hands along his sides. I was enjoying every second that revealed more skin. The sight of him shirtless never fails to turn me breathless, and I took a moment to enjoy the view. I slowly and hesitantly kissed and caressed down his torso. He let me enjoy my exploration, running my lips and tongue over his body, finding sensitive spots. I had a suspicion the point right below his jaw may be my favourite, but I did a thorough job in discovering new territory.

By this point, I had him flat on his back, with me still fully clothed and straddling him. I couldn't ignore my need to feel him with more of my skin any longer. Crossing my arms over my chest, I peeled off my sweater, hopefully in a seductive manner. I dressed with an eye toward enticing him, as I realized I usually do. Dressing to distract him had become both a game and a defence, as it's my way of trying to cope with the urgent need I feel nearly every time I even glance at him.

I decided I hadn't kissed him enough, so I quickly leant down to rectify that error. The sensation of flesh on flesh as my chest brushed his was almost too much to bear, and I groaned against his lips, arching myself closer to him. My hips glided against his, and I doubted how long I could handle not being joined with him, my second half. I felt him begin to harden against my hip and my panties grew damp with need.

I broke away from his lips with reluctance, needing to make the world stop spinning. Being Eric, he took advantage and flipped me over, reaching for my jeans. Quickly yet torturously, he slid them off, gliding his hands slowly down my legs. He looked at me with that dark, wicked glance that told me both that he wanted to take care of me first and to beware his upcoming teasing. He licked his luscious, full lips and started to remove my panties to go down on me, but that was not in my plans for the evening, at least not yet, so I stopped him. Eric is a god at pleasing women, but my goal was to fully dedicate myself to him. Wrapping my legs around his hips, I exploited his brief puzzlement and borrowed vamp strength and moved so that once again, I was on top. I quickly took off his pants, enjoying the strong muscles I could feel perfectly defined under my hands, although surprised he was actually wearing boxers and not going commando. Oh, well, more for me to unwrap.

I started a bit of teasing, running my hands over his thighs, massaging ever higher then skipping away. His moans and evident frustration ratcheted my own need ever higher and I felt my panties soaking. I only tormented him for a few minutes before yanking off his boxers, letting my prize for being a (moderately) good girl stand free. Experimentally, I glided a gentle finger up and over his gracious plenty, making him shiver. A few firmer strokes of my hand and my resolve was set. I prayed I wouldn't mess up my act of worship and gently lowered my mouth. I ran my tongue up and down first, just to taste him, then gently sucked his tip into my mouth. I glided my way up and down, alternating sucking with broad strokes from my tongue. I yearned to see him come undone, as he so often had me, and given how the bond was lighting up like the 4th of July, I thought he was getting close. Firmer suction and my hand pumping his base brought him to a surprisingly quick climax. I swallowed and enjoyed his sweet taste, taking his physical essence inside me as I always carried his soul. As he fell back, momentarily spent more from the emotions darting back and forth between us than physical exertion, I tenderly caressed my way back up to snuggle into his shoulder.

I let him recover from the emotional storm, whispering how glad I was he let me take care of him for once and how I still couldn't believe this utter perfection was real. I swore my devotion and that I was done running. All I needed was Eric for my life to feel complete. I sighed how much I loved him and how sorry I was that it took me so long to understand we were meant to be together.

Soon enough, his hands started to wander, lingering on my breasts, which swelled against his infinitely tender touch. He raised himself over me and possessively grabbed my lips with his. Massaging a breast and tweaking my already hard nipple, his other hand snaked between our bodies to grab my panties. Typically, they seemed to vanish, but I was much more concerned with the feel of his secure frame against my body. Waves of desire and love rolled through me and into him, and I trembled under his suddenly intent gaze. His eyes darkened to cobalt as we stared at each other, letting hands caress. Another bruising kiss came as his hands claimed ownership of my body and I returned it by dragging my nails along his back. He shuddered in delight. I was thrilled; it seems my Viking liked to be owned by me as much as I gladly gave him possession of myself.

My legs soon spread of their own accord and one of his devious hands slide between them. I should have been embarrassed by my sopping pussy, but I never felt that way with Eric. My body was simply showing him the desire he could feel pulsing through my very soul. My hips began to rise as he gently stroked me and I whispered how badly I needed him to fill me. My wanton words seemed to have an effect as he kiss me deeply. He guided himself to my aching pussy and paused at my opening, making me almost wild. My hips thrust up of their own decision, impaling myself on his wonderful length. I cried out at the exquisite feeling of finally having him inside me, where he belongs. My hot, tight, wetness gripped at him, pulling him deeper.

Our hips thrust awkwardly at first with the intense desire to become one, then smoothed out into a passionate rhythm. I gasped and moaned with each thrust, which seemed to spur him on. He thumbed my clit, almost driving me over the edge, but I was determined that we come together. I kissed him deeply, needing to feel all of him, needing him to be as deep in me as possible.

Our rhythm changed, becoming more frantic as we both reached the edge. My muscles began to contract around him, and I could feel him pulsing within me, both his gracious plenty and deeper, in our combined heart of hearts. I squeezed him with all my strength and that sent us both over, each crying the other's name aloud. The bond seemed to swell and expand to create a cocoon of warmth, happiness and belonging, making us truly one soul.

No words described the fullness of my heart as we lay tangled together. I smoothed his hair back, trying to find the words to tell him how precious he is to me. Love is such a small word to describe the enormity of what I feel for him, but it is the strongest word I know. I whispered it in his ear and he pulled me to him. We lay comfortably in each other's arms, content to merely hold each other, while the bond hummed contentedly, marking a moment I would always treasure as the moment when our hearts, souls and minds truly joined, sealing us irrevocably together. It was a moment we would be grateful for in the coming days.


	10. Conversation

A/N: I'm back! I have to say, you have never really lived until you've seen Patrick Stewart cavorting across stage humming "The Wild Rover." Or Ian McKellen spit carrot all over the stage. In case you have no clue what I'm talking about, I was in London to see Beckett's _Waiting for Godot_ with those two as Vladimir and Estragon, respectively. Absolutely brilliant!

Anyway, I felt like looking at this from Eric's POV, since we so often see Sookie's side of emotionally charged discussions. And after writing it, I know why. Eric refused to cooperate! This chappie's basically some housekeeping issues, airing all those little things our duo needs to talk about.

Disclaimer: I still own nothing. Now I need chocolate for solace.

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Conversation _n_ the spoken exchange of thoughts, opinions and feelings, social intercourse

EPOV

As I lay with my lover cradled in my arms, I could not remember a time I had ever been as wholly content as I was at that moment. Sookie had not only accepted the bond between us, but we had reconnected physically, as well. She had been beyond anything I could have imagined, inventive and I saw great possibility in exploring her apparent enjoyment of a touch of domination. I had to wonder, however, how long this new phase would last. Even if her reactions of late had been guided by an outside force for some unknown reason, my bonded has never been one to accept things as they are and I would be a love-struck fool to think that she would yield to me on all things. I quelled the urge to smile in amusement. Yes, my Sookie was stubborn and independent, while also paradoxically old-fashioned to the absurd, but with the strength of our deeper bond, I had a premonition that, while our fights may continue, the making-up would be so much sweeter, along with practically guaranteed. How can one fight when able to feel the total sincerity and love of their sparring partner?

My lover sighed, as satisfaction washed through the bond, and I realized that it was time to discuss everything, from the meaning of the bond, although I'd have to get the witch to fill in the details of this new component, to the events of the past night. We may as well get this over with, as I was beginning to feel a bit like a human woman, always carping on about needing to 'talk', but it _was_ important we settle certain things left too long alone. I felt an unusual flash of trepidation in disturbing such a peaceful moment; given both our tempers and her propensity to fight anything she didn't understand, I did not anticipate this interview going well.

"Lover, it is time we talk. We have put this off far too long, and given recent events, it becomes increasingly obvious that an understanding must be reached." Given the fear and guilt coming through the bond, Sookie was not looking forward to our discussion anymore than I.

"Ok, Eric, I know there's a lot we need to discuss…It's just that, ok, I love you, and I think you care about me, and I want to be with you, really truly, but I've been on such an emotional roller-coaster lately and I'm just scared something's wrong with me, because I'm not acting normal."

I wasn't sure whether to simply enjoy that she admitted her love for me or be annoyed that she could still doubt my feelings after all we had shared. I did realize, however, that I had to remain in control. She was so emotionally delicate and, as I had no idea what the purpose of whatever was meddling with her, I had no way of knowing what could set her off. The alterations to the bond may have either broken the compulsion's hold or at least suppressed it, but I couldn't take too many risks until we knew for certain what was going on. I briefly thought back to her state after being rescued and my sheer terror that I would lose her wonderful mind to the despair in which she had been drowning.

"My lover, look at me." I waited until her troubled eyes met mine. "Surely you cannot doubt my love for you? I know I have not expressly told you that I love you, but it has been one thousand years since I have felt this way, if indeed I ever did. Regardless, I am not a human male; I will not react in the manner you expect, especially in discussing emotions, unless you tell me the way you would like me to respond. If it will not undermine my position, I will try to do as you ask, but the key is communication, my lover. Something we are both guilty of avoiding." I felt another flash of guilt from her, but it did not turn into the desperation of the previous night. In fact, all her emotions felt much shallower, with few of the recent extremes. Progress, perhaps?

"Now, we have many things to discuss; would you like to start with the bond?" I thought that might be the easiest to explain, rather than immediately diving into our theories on something controlling her reactions, although from her earlier statements, it seemed my clever bonded had realized something was irregular.

I felt Sookie nod into my chest, which I took to mean consent. I briefly contemplated shifting positions to be able to discuss this face to face, but ultimately gave in to the all-too rare contentment of our current situation.

"A blood-bond, as you know, forms a link between the participants, allowing each partner to sense the other's presence as well as emotions. Ordinarily, a bond between vampire and human is used when the human is considered indispensable, as it, when combined with the glamour, ties both will and emotion to the vampire. Hence, why Andre wished to use it to secure you for the Queen. Your resistance to the glamour, however, negates the compulsion aspect. In any case, I'd never try to force you to do anything against your will." I decided not to tell her how Andre would have resorted to physical control once she resisted the glamour and attempted to inject some levity into the discussion, adding with a smirk, "Mostly for my own protection if you ever found out I had done so."

I was soundly smacked on the chest by her small fist. "Eric! Ok, so I get why Andre thought it'd be a good thing for me to be 'controllable' even if it wouldn't have worked on me. And I am so grateful you stepped in, even if I was a horrible bitch about it. But I don't understand why I could hear your thoughts when I was grabbed. That's never…" Sookie trailed off.

Ah, so she was hiding something. "Sookie," I asked slowly, knowing how defensive she could be, "have you ever heard my thoughts before?" I probably should have been angry, but as I had never figured out that she had read me, and now with our deeper bond, it was a moot point anyway.

She tried pulling out of my arms, but I anticipated her and held her tight. She fidgeted, obviously not willing to tell me more.

I let a bit of reproach bleed into my tone, asking "Do you have something to tell me?"

"It's not like it happens all the time! I really can't hear vamp minds normally, but occasionally, it happens. I heard you shortly after meeting you, when you were thinking that if you threatened people I care about, you could make me do anything you wanted."

Oh. Well, that was my initial reaction, after deciding to take her away from Compton. It's in my nature to take what I desire by any means possible, so I wasn't going to apologize. I stroked her arm, reassuring her I wasn't upset. "Hmm, you hid that well. You didn't react at all, even though it must have been a shock for you."

She twisted slightly to look up at me. "Hello, telepathic barmaid here! I've had a ton of practice not reacting to the disgusting thoughts of customers; I can control my expression. Although you did scare me, a lot. Your mind was so dark and twisting."

I suddenly did feel slightly guilty for subjecting her to my darker tendencies without warning. "Sookie, I am…" I was cut off by a delicate finger against my lips. Impulsively, I kissed it, making her smile.

"Hush, I've been in enough heads to know that thoughts don't always reflect truth or even intent. You may have thought it, but you didn't follow through, which is what counts."

Who was this calm and understanding woman? I wasn't sure whether to be relieved or concerned, but would not risk disturbing her new equilibrium by commenting.

"But, seriously Eric, how did we manage to hear each other when you were coming to save me? And what was with that seriously weird connection thing? I…I saw you, your life, I mean. And I felt you seeing my memories. Is this a normal bond thing? Cause I think you probably should have mentioned that before!" Sookie was scared, and was, true to form, going to take it out on me.

"Relax, lover. No, I've told you all I know about the ramifications of a blood-bond. Given that there were already feelings involved between us, our connection has always been abnormally strong, but the events of yesterday were the result of your witch friend."

"Amelia? What does she…oh, that's what she was thinking when you carried me out of the barn. She was thinking something about you telling me about the bond and me being mad at her. There was also a comment about 'it breaking the other thing' but I don't know what she meant." At least she was confused, rather than angry now.

I filled her in on the events, leaving out the discussion of her recent manipulation, for the moment at least. "I could barely feel you through the bond, not enough to track with, and your witch came up with a spell that allowed us to actually see the bond. It directed us to you, but she warned there would be consequences, deepening the bond beyond what is normal. I'm assuming that this connection between us enabled our conversation, as well as the exchange of memory. We will have to see if the witch knows what exactly we can expect from now on."

"Amelia, Eric, her name's Amelia." I merely shrugged. I enjoyed riling my bonded up.

Sookie continued, puzzled, "How'd you know I'd been taken, though? I thought that after everything I said…well, I wasn't sure if you'd come for me or if you even knew something was happening."

I was not happy that she doubted me yet again, although after our words yesterday, I could understand her reaction. I told her, "I heard you, my lover. You called out to me. And I will always come for you, do not doubt that."

"But you heard me yelling out for you when they grabbed me? I don't understand, Amelia hadn't done the spell then. Why could you hear me? Especially since all I was getting off you was this horrible, frozen grey fog. I couldn't tell where you were or feel you or anything and, oh Eric, it was horrible!" My lover was shuddering and I scooped her into my embrace, soothing her with words and the bond. She had a point, though. How did I hear her voice call out to me that first time in Fangtasia? Something to be considered later, as it appeared we'd reached the point of her behaviour.

"I'm not certain, but that brings us to the other discussion we must have. Sookie, earlier you said you didn't feel normal. What did you mean?" I wanted to get her perspective, to try to understand what she'd been feeling that prompted her actions.

"Just that…after I told you off in Fangtasia and then at home, Pam and Amelia both said some things about my behaviour lately that made me think. I really don't know why I got so angry at you or said those things. And I've been pulling away from everyone else, too, but blaming them for abandoning me. I just sat and thought and realized that I wasn't really acting like me…and I, well I realized I love you, and went to apologize to you, but I was a complete mess and it just kept getting worse. That's why I didn't hear them come up, when they grabbed me; I was sitting in the car trying to calm down but I couldn't! And then when I woke up in that barn, I just thought about everything and was so sorry for myself and so guilty that I just didn't care if they killed me, so long as you were safe. But it was really after the memory-sharing thing and then taking your blood that, well, I could just tell something'd been wrong. I just don't know why I've been acting like I have!" She was awash in guilt and confusion, but at least the darker emotions stayed at bay.

"The witch and the shifter posed a theory regarding your recent conduct. They feel certain that some form of magic has been done to you, forcing you to turn away from those who care for you by acting in the manner you have. Who is behind it and what the purpose of such a manipulation is, has yet to be determined. I also do not understand why you had such a downward spiral. " I gathered her tightly to my chest. "Lover, when I found you, you were hysterical. I could feel you slipping away with your emotions and it was not something I ever wish to feel again."

I could feel the rise of both disbelief and anger and braced myself for a typical Sookie reaction. "Manipulation? Someone's been making me act like a total bitch to all my friends and making me say all those horrible things to you? Eric, I'd like to believe you, but wouldn't I know if some spell had been cast on me? I mean, yeah, I don't think I should have reacted the way I did last night, but who would gain anything by making me turn away from my friends and reject you? Besides, can spells even work on me? I mean, I'm part fae and your glamour doesn't work on me, so who's to say that spells would work, either?" My bonded was indignant at the thought that she wouldn't be aware of magic enacted on her sense of self.

She was so worked up over the thought of someone having control over a part of her that she began to contradict her earlier statements. "I'd love to be able to pass the blame around, but it was just a depression or something. I have to take responsibility for my own actions here! I mean, after I accepted the fact that I love you and that the bond wasn't the worst thing in the world, I felt awful and guilty, so surely that's a sign it was all me, right?"

Again, my lover said the right thing to fill in the gaps. "Sookie, if someone wished to harm you, or have you for their own, what better way than to have you reject your friends and your bonded, all of whom would protect you against anything inclined to hurt you?"

"Oh." Ah, her moment of realization was tinged with such adorable embarrassment. _Adorable_? By the gods, this woman was emasculating me. "I, ah, sorry, Eric. I guess I just jumped to conclusions again. I didn't think of it like that."

I had another moment of realization, one that was filled with personal delight, although I didn't like the other connotations. "And, my lover, when did you start to feel your guilt and anguish?"

"I guess it was after Pam and Amelia lit into me about being horrible and cruel to you. I was just thinking about things, and I…well, I just told you," she trailed off, realizing that she'd been laying her heart out, but I was too pleased to let her stay reticent.

"Yes, dear one?"

"You're gonna make me say it again, aren't you? Damn it, Eric, that's not fair!" She huffed. "Fine, I was thinking about what they said and what I'd said and I realized that I'd been blaming you for the bond, which actually wasn't a bad thing and then on my way to see you, it finally registered that I love you. There! Satisfied?"

"Immensely. I believe you were as well, not too long ago." That comment earned me another smack, but I could tell her good humour was returning. "Now, lover, is it fair to say that all those negative emotions hit you once you had accepted the bond?"

"Yeah, I guess so. I didn't look at it that way. Eric, now I'm getting scared! What does that mean? Someone's been messing in my head to get me away from you? Who could do that and who wants me that bad?"

"Shush, relax. You're with me, we are together now and nothing will happen to you." I turned her once again and simply kissed her. I enjoyed the feeling of her sweet, soft mouth against mine, for once not fighting against me. I would have liked to go further, but sadly, we were running out of time. "I suspect that, by accepting the bond, you managed to break the compulsion forcing you against it. It is pleasing to suggest that our bond, even before amplified by the tracking spell, was strong enough to break a major work of magic. I propose we go and visit the witch to discuss this further. I have set Pam, with Bill's aid, to oversee both the investigation into the explosion and the capture of the men who kidnapped you. It's likely they are connected, and we will deal with this, but first, I want to ensure that you are not subject to any further complications from this spell. If something can cause a relapse, I wish to know about it and prevent it." I was proud that it seemed to be the strength of our bond that had broken whatever enchantment against it; no other could boast of such a lovely, talented woman bound to them so tightly!

It was with no few caresses and laughter that we rose and dressed. Yes, this woman had me twisted around her little finger, but I was content in ways I had never known I could attain.


	11. Interpretation

A/N: Since I deprived you over the weekend, I've decided to give you the next one sooner than expected. We're really going to start building up the plot from here on out. Anyone who wants to guess at our culprit is more than welcome to, although I'm not sure if I'll tell you if you're right!

Disclaimer: I don't own a bit of it.

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Interpretation _n _the act or process of explaining the meaning of something, giving an explanation

SPOV

Eric and I chatted on the drive to Bon Temps, riding in some form of expensive sedan that I would have thought too unobtrusive for my…what do I call him? I decided to address that, trying to keep my mind off anything too serious before absolutely necessary.

"Eric, what do I call you now?" He looked puzzled, so I clarified, "I mean, are you my boyfriend? Bill was ok with that, but it just sounds…weird calling you that."

He looked less than pleased at the mention of Bill. I remembered his reaction to our shared memories and decided to get him off the subject. "I guess I just want to have some name to our relationship. I know we're bonded, but most people won't understand that, so how do I talk about you to other people?" Oh boy, I should not have phrased it that way. The bond was swelling with pride.

"You wish to discuss me? But of course, you will wish to proclaim your good fortune. Especially when discussing sex; Pam informs me that human women like to discuss the attributes of their significant others and now you will have _plenty_ to bring to the conversation." Gag. That was a bit much.

"Gross, Eric. Could your ego get any bigger? Don't answer that. I was trying to be serious here."

"Alright, my lover. I admit, the thought of being termed 'boyfriend' is rather repugnant to me. I take it 'lover' is unacceptable to southern Christian values as well? Perhaps the term partner is more in line with what we are to each other. Significant other is also acceptable." He paused, and the bond pulsed with actual uncertainty. "You do not mind my calling you 'lover' and 'bonded'? I realize I have been doing so after you expressly forbid it last night. I do not mean it in a degrading fashion, but rather, I am proud to proclaim to all that such a gorgeous and talented woman is attached to me."

Aw. That was sweet. And he didn't say a word about me belonging to him, but considered us in relationship terms. "No, regardless of what I said, I really don't dislike it. Actually, it's kinda nice, since I was always the only one you called 'lover', so in a weird way, it gave me hope that we could work things out. And I'll be sure to avoid 'boyfriend', _if_ you come up in a conversation. Not that I plan on talking about you, or anything," I teased. I was so glad we were back to our friendly relationship, even with the romantic component. I hadn't realized how much I missed this Eric with all the drama that had been going on recently.

When we pulled into my drive, I noted Sam's truck out front. I had called Amelia before we left, asking her to get Sam over for a war council, since there was no way Eric would even think about such a common courtesy. Polite my Viking was not.

Amelia came bounding to the door to let us in, already chattering away. "Sookie! Are you feeling better? Did Eric give you some _personal_ attention to make you all ok? So need the details here, girl!" Her mental imaginings about Eric 'taking care' of me bombarded me instantly.

"Amelia! Rein it in, please! And yes, I am feeling better, but we need to talk." We moved into the living room where Sam was perched on a chair. He, too, started in on my well-being, but now that it came to it, I just wanted to figure out what the hell was going on with me.

"Guys, I really want to know what you think's been going on and how we can figure out what to do about it." To tell the truth, I wasn't sure whether to be scared or angry. Someone wanted me separated from my friends badly enough to perform some serious magic on me, which was a terrifying thought, but the anger came in with the fact that someone had decided to try to control me. Now that did not make for a happy Sookie.

"Sook, Sam and I have been getting concerned about your behaviour lately. It just didn't seem like you were reacting to things normally, especially with your friends." Amelia looked at Sam and then pointedly glanced at Eric. "I've been researching some spells that can control reactions to specific circumstances, and have found a few that might fit this scenario. It was a bit of a long shot at first, but the way you turned on Eric last night pretty much confirmed it for me. You'd never be that harsh in dismissing him."

Ok, the fact that it wasn't me really exploding at Eric was comforting, but that Amelia didn't discount that I was capable of throwing him away was a bit of an eye-opener. I'd have to think about that later. "So, you're saying that someone put a spell on me that made me push you guys away, and deny the bond and my feelings for Eric?"

Crap, didn't mean to say that last bit. Eric preened, Amelia tried to hide her grin, and Sam, well, Sam just looked like he'd expected it. Boy, was I glad Bill wasn't there.

"To tell the truth, Sook, you were doing the denial bit fine on your own, but this spell would have forced the issue, making you feel like you were trapped and the only way to have your life back would be to get away from Eric and break the bond."

"But who would want to do that to me? And why?!" Ok, the fear side was definitely winning. Eric pulled me into his lap to calm me. I'll admit, being held close to him did wonders for my mental state, not to mention my libido.

Amelia continued, even while her thoughts kept circling around how cute we looked, "The spells I've found suggest that it would take someone extremely familiar with magic to pull this off. They're tricky and demanding; every element has to be just right to get the desired result."

Sam jumped in with, "As to who, well, let's just list everyone who'd want either your talents for themselves or Eric distracted by your loss."

Ok, that was half of the Supe community. But Amelia wasn't done yet. "Now, judging by the way Eric's cuddling you and you're not objecting, is it safe to say that the bond is stronger after my spell?"

Eric scowled at the idea of cuddling, or at least actually using the word, since he was definitely a closet snuggler. "Yes, you were correct about the consequences. I do wish to thank you for your assistance, as without the spell, I don't think we would have succeeded."

Wow, Eric was certainly being effusive in his praise tonight. I could tell Amelia was chomping at the bit to find out what had happened with the bond, but I wanted to clear it with Eric first, just how much to tell her. I gave him a look, and when his eyes met mine, it was like I _knew_ that it was alright to tell these two everything. It wasn't like before, when I actually heard his thoughts, but it was still like he'd passed the knowledge directly into my brain.

"What just happened? You guys just had a moment there, didn't you? I am so good!" Amelia was pleased as punch with the result of her spell.

"Yes, 'Meals, you're very good. I guess you could say the bond got deeper after your spell. When I was in that barn, Eric and I actually heard each other. And after I took his blood, it was like all the bad emotions I'd been feeling disappeared. Just now, we kinda did, I don't know, it was like a Vulcan mind-meld thing." Ok, I'm blaming Jason and his love of early morning reruns as a kid for that one. "Can you tell me what exactly you did and why we could hear each other?"

"Oh, 'course! See, the spell was made for finding half of a bonded pair, whether it be lifemate, bondmate, soulmate, whatever. So it basically made your bond visible through Eric, so we could track you. I had to ask him, though, if he could accept the possible side-effects of the spell, since I had a sneaking suspicion, which totally turned out right, by the way, that you guys aren't just bondmates, but soulmates, too." Amelia thankfully gave us a minute for that to soak in. Eric and I just looked at each other, both a bit lost. Soulmates? I thought that only existed in my trashy romance novels. I didn't even admit I loved him until last night, for crying out loud! Although, it did explain why we were able to click so easily, how we understood each other so well and why it always came back to Eric, even when I was dating Quinn.

"Uh, Amelia, are you sure about that?" I felt a bit of hurt from Eric. "Oh, honey, not that I'm really doubting it, but it's just a bit much right now."

"I'm dead positive. See, that little side-effect I was talking about, permanently put a bit of your soul into Eric and a bit of his into you. It's kind of a way to prevent the second half from being lost again, but it only works on soulmates. It wasn't the bloodbond that let you talk to each other last night; it was the piece of each other's soul. I'm betting that whenever there's trouble, you'll be able to do it, since your souls will naturally be screaming out to the other. And I'd be willing to bet that it makes other times _much _more intense as well." I just blushed at that, thinking of earlier. "But if you had still rejected Eric after the soul transferrence, it would have caused a lot of problems. I'm so glad you guys worked it out! Anyway, back to the spell on you, the other one, I mean. Did you, by any chance, decide to accept the bond sometime last night?" Amelia's tone was definitely building up to something.

"Yeah, I guess I did. I mean, I figured that there was no use fighting something that was there, just like you said. Why? Eric already figured that was what broke the spell." Ok, I could accept the soulmate thing, and the thought of permanently carrying a bit of Eric around, even during the day when we couldn't be together, gave me warm-fuzzies, but things were piling up and I was starting to feel overwhelmed.

"But you started feeling 'bad' as you said after that, then felt better once you had Eric's blood? And was the bond mostly blocked until my spell?" I nodded, not sure where she was going with it.

"Because I think that what broke the spell on you was you accepting the bond, like you guys thought, but that it was booby-trapped so that if it broke, it would make you go crazy with a bunch of negative emotions, and close off the bond so Eric couldn't come rescue you. This is an extremely delicate bit of witchcraft. I think it was only that my spell broke through the remnants of the other and reopened the bond, so that Eric could find you and you could take his blood that saved you from going nuts. It was probably a failsafe, kinda like a 'if I can't have her, no one will' sort of deal. Whoever it was, was counting on Eric not getting to you if the spell broke."

Before I could even think about panicking, Eric flooded the bond with support, calm and love. I shot him a look. He couldn't expect to always steamroll over my natural emotions. He shrugged, and I could practically, but not really, hear him think that it was warranted.

Eric spoke up before I had a chance to, "I don't suppose there is anyway you can trace the spell, now that it's been broken?"

Amelia shook her head. "Unfortunately, I doubt I would have been able to do it even before. Whoever put a booby-trap like that would surely have made it untraceable. And you better believe whoever it is knows his spell's gone south. He would have felt it and you can be sure that he won't be happy it failed."

"So, what am I supposed to do? Pretend nothing's wrong and just go about as normal? What if whoever it is comes after me again?"

Sam soothingly said, "Now, Sookie, we're not going to let anything happen to you. Let's just play it by ear. No use getting worked up over something that hasn't happened yet." I felt like a little kid being told there weren't monsters under the bed.

Sam continued, "What if he just tries again?"

"A good point. Is there anything magical to prevent this happening again? Some sort of protective spell that prohibits a magical invasion of this kind?" asked Eric, again before I could say anything. This was getting annoying.

Amelia thought for a minute, then shook her head, "No, there's nothing I can do like that, especially against somebody that strong. Even if Octavia weren't in New Orleans, I don't think we'd be much use." She paused. "I can, at least I think I can work up a spell that lets us know if something's trying to work on Sookie. Kinda like a burglar alarm for magic."

Nodding, Eric said, "Yes, that makes sense. Get that ready, as we must know as soon as possible if something occurs. Shifter, we will compile a list of powerful members of the community and see if we can narrow it down to who would have the resources to employ such a tactic." Eric paused, glanced at me, then proclaimed, "Sookie will of course not be going back to work. We need to ascertain the motivation and culprit behind this magical attack and it will be safer if she remains with me until then."

With that, I stormed out, hoping to get some distance from that irritating, all-knowing jackass of a vampire. How dare he? He knew better than to just make decisions for me and expect me to take orders lying down. Or maybe that's exactly what he thought, that he could just make it up to me in bed, say all those sweet things like earlier and then take over whenever we were in public. Fat chance of that! I swept into the kitchen in high dudgeon, knowing that Eric was going to follow me. I was determined to hang on to my anger until I got my way, but then I caught sight of the table, and more importantly, the chair where I'd been sitting while I nearly destroyed my relationship and Amelia and Pam berated me. Pam's words came back to me.

_You fight every time you feel you have no say in the matter, but you have lived only a fraction of the time as my Master; he does know how to keep you safe and out of the hands of those who would make your life miserable._

Oh.

I felt Eric come up behind me. He was carefully testing the bond, prodding to see if I would turn on him again. I was so ashamed that yet again, I threw a tantrum like the brat I was. Eric had even stated flat out it would be only to protect me, but did I listen to that? No, sirree, I only heard that I wasn't getting my say and turned all my fear and confusion into anger at Eric. Maybe that compulsion spell didn't have to push too hard to make me do what it wanted. And thinking that just made me feel worse. How immature was I? And how could Eric want to be around me when I acted like a child?

Eric placed his hands on my shoulders. I wanted to shrug him off, feeling unworthy of meeting his gaze, but then I realized that if I pushed him away now, the unknown factor had won anyway. And I was too damn stubborn to let someone push me around like that. I let Eric turn me around. He slipped a hand under my chin, raising my face so my eyes met his.

We didn't need to say a word as we stared at each other. Eric sighed, and gathered me to his chest. I snuggled closer, inhaling his uniquely masculine scent.

"Oh my lover. We will be fine. These spats are just growing pains. I will do something you dislike, you will react, then we will cool down and discuss what went wrong. It is simply a matter of communication, as we discussed earlier." He shrugged, as if to say it was nothing very difficult.

Then his tone changed. "The same will happen when you charge into danger against my wishes and I have to punish you." Oo, boy! Was it getting warm in here, or was it just me? I almost didn't dare look up to see the leer I could practically feel, but then again, I was nothing if not brave and stupid.

I looked up.

And was instantly assailed with not only that trademark leer spread across his handsome face, but the heat and desire pulsing across the bond as well. I focused on his succulent lips, stretching up to meet them with my own before I even registered the movement. Pressed tightly against him, I definitely felt Eric's…interest…rise as well. Basking in the warmth of the bond, I wiggled against him, causing him to groan, but not release my mouth. Our tongues were duelling for supremacy as I ground myself closer to him. His hands slipped up the back of my shirt, and the touch of his cool skin on mine stoked my fire even higher. Without breaking from our liplock, I hopped up, winding my legs around his waist with one hand wrapped around his shoulders and the other buried in his hair.

Eric's hands slid out from my shirt with my movement, causing me to whimper at their loss, until one clutched my ass, to support me as well as grope, while the other stroked my back, pushing my chest into his. I broke away to gasp in a breath, only to be confronted with applause from Amelia, standing in the doorway.

I froze, but decided the new me had acknowledged my feelings and I was content, so I stayed where I was. I think I shocked Eric, who had loosened his hold on me in anticipation of my objection, when I simply wrapped my arms around his shoulders, dropped a kiss on his nose, then turned my head to look at Amelia.

"Need something, 'Meals? Or just enjoying the show?" I felt Eric get even harder at my calmness and acceptance of this expression of our relationship. Positioned as I was, this did very interesting things to the southern portion of my anatomy. I subtly ground my hips against him while tightening my thighs around him and watched his eyes flutter closed.

Amelia snorted at this display. "Just wanted to let you know that I've got the things ready for the alarm spell, but by all means, carry on." She turned to go, shooting a last comment over her shoulder, "Eric, you might want to try a bed before ravishing my best friend in the kitchen. Some of us have to eat there, ya know."

I turned back to see Eric's slightly dazed expression. I felt like giggling. Even with all the bad things going on and the uncertainty of who wanted to take me, there was nowhere else I wanted to be than in Eric's arms, enjoying our time together. I just had to remember that.

Eric's voice was slightly husky as he asked, "Not that I'm complaining, lover, but what brought that on? And are you planning on finishing what you've started?"

"I just realized that we're together, there's no point in acting ashamed of enjoying each other. It's not like Amelia's going to go blab everywhere that we were making out in the kitchen, but even if she did, there's nothing wrong in being together. I love you and I want everyone to know it." My sense of euphoria wasn't fading, but turned tender when I felt Eric's amazed pleasure at my pronouncement. Did he think I would be with him and still act indifferent? Boy, had I done a number on my poor Viking.

"I love you, as well, dear one. And I am overjoyed that you have no qualms in expressing it publicly." We simply smiled at each other like fools, until Eric, naturally, made a comment. "Does this mean sex in my office?"

Instead of my indignant reply of the past, I simply threw back my head and laughed at the hope in his voice. I disentangled my various limbs from around him and slid to the floor. Eric gave a moan of protest, but was appeased with a kiss. I pulled back and sashayed out of the kitchen, saying, "Only if you're a very good boy. Now come on, we've got work to do."


	12. Surprise

A/N: Okey doke, here's one you've been waiting for: some nookie and a revelation! Sorry about the wait; we had a bit of a breakdown in the uni internet. That's what happens when they move the entire IT department in one fell swoop..... I was also a bit depressed by the increasing number of readers and favourites, but decreasing reviews. Thank you to all who have continued to give me your thoughts, as I do appreciate hearing from you!

Disclaimer: Not mine, in the least.

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Surprise _n_ a completely unexpected occurance, appearance, or statement

Amelia did her mojo in record time, so I was now fully alarmed in case anyone decided to magic me up. I guess spells really aren't something I can guard against, although I was thankful Eric decided to not bring up my big head from earlier. It was amusing, however, to see how long it took him to throw off his daze from our interlude in the kitchen. For someone who'd been having sex in all its variations for over a thousand years and had to have been interrupted at some point, he was not handling it well. After I walked out of the kitchen, it must have been at least half a minute before he followed. The bond was buzzing with pleasure and impatience, but it was the unfocused look in his eyes that was the most entertaining. I don't think he really snapped out of it until Amelia started the spell. I found I enjoyed playing the sex kitten, and intended to exploit Eric's apparent weakness for the act later. It's not like I was planning on denying either of us after we, or I should say 'the menfolk', finished making lists and strategizing. Eric and Sam apparently bonded over their need to protect me, and while Amelia set her spell on me, they had ensconced themselves at my kitchen table with papers flying about. Every now and then, we would hear raised voices.

Like now, as we made our way into the kitchen.

Sam wasn't yelling, but he was definitely expressing his unhappiness. "Damn it, Eric! This is not the time for typical vamp bullshit! I'm tellin' you, these guys are dangerous and you can't not take them seriously just because they're Weres."

"I am not denying their threat to Sookie during the day, but really, shifter, can you honestly say that any of that group of rag-tag antiestablishment idiots could conceive of, much less pull off a plan involving a spell of that magnitude? However, if they did try anything, I would rip them to pieces with my bare hands and barely exert myself." Eric was icy calm, never a good state for bystanders. I decided to break the tension a bit by dropping into Eric's lap, winding one hand around his neck to play with his glorious mane.

"Honey, are you not playing well with others?" I said while running my fingers through his hair and tracing his chest muscles with the index finger of my other hand. I heard Amelia behind me swallow a chuckle, especially as Eric visibly relaxed.

"Lover, we have narrowed it down to two lists: one that has the most powerful and likely threats and another that lists those who it is possible could create such a scheme." He pulled me closer and put his mouth to my ear. "And do not think that I will not repay you for your little display just now," he hissed, doing all sorts of wonderful things to my nether regions. I squirmed, amusing him greatly.

I tried to get back on track. "Ok, let's see these lists, then."

Sam pushed them over to me. I picked up the first one, which seemed to be the one that included the maybes, since I didn't recognize any of the names. The names on the other list, however, were definitely not unknown to me. It seemed like half of the vampire rulers in the states were on there. Oh, it was nice being popular. Topping the list, however, were Felipe and Victor. Surprisingly, they were listed separately.

"You think Victor could be working behind Felipe's back?" I didn't like the connotations of that.

"Since Felipe is now in possession of Barry's services, it would be redundant for him to gain yours as well, especially as I would not be unaware of it and could easily become a problem for him. However, he could have been counting on the fact that, once the spell drove you to renounce me, I would do so as well so as not to lose face. Victor, however, is much more likely in my mind, as he is always working at an angle to establish more power for himself. He could have wished to offer you space to get away from me and then bartered your talents in return for favours from the elite." Eric was careful not to word any of his speech as though I was an object, even though I knew that's how Felipe and Victor saw me.

I glanced down at the list again and was instantly incensed. I opened my mouth to blast Eric, when again, the memory of Pam's voice from last night came back, paired with Sam's comment from earlier.

_There is no doubt, Niall would love to destroy Eric._

_Let's just list everyone who'd want either your talents for themselves or Eric distracted by your loss._

I closed my mouth.

Eric looked questioningly at me, having felt my sudden fury and its abrupt departure. He glanced at the list and stiffened. "Dear one, I do not think your great-grandfather would ever purposefully harm you, but we must consider him, both because of the magic used," he hesitated, "and because he and I have a history."

Amelia jumped in before I could, doubtless to prevent the eruption of Mount St. Sookie. "Actually, Sook, I didn't even think to consider Fae magic. I'll need to do some more research, although there's not a lot written in particular about their spells, just the consequences."

Sam piped in, "I'm surprised you didn't put Bill on there, Eric. You know he's still panting after Sookie."

Eric looked mildly affronted at this. "Bill? He couldn't perform a spell of this magnitude, nor does he have the resources to hire someone who does. And he wouldn't dare go against me again, especially not where Sookie is involved. He may, however, be able to add to this list given his contacts. I will inform him of this tonight and order his cooperation. I'm looking forward to his expression when I announce the new status of our bond."

Ok, I knew that should have bugged me, or at least made me pause, but Eric exerting his dominance was seriously turning me on. Now that we were bound so tightly, I knew it wasn't coming from Eric, but that he could definitely feel my barometer rising. Besides, I was also getting tired of Bill constantly proclaiming his love for me and then never doing anything to prove it. Uncharacteristic of me, possibly, but I was tired of being treated like a toy Bill had lost and Eric wouldn't return, so hopefully, news of our deepened connection would put a stop to the childish displays.

"So, what's the game plan? I'm basically under house arrest at Eric's until somebody comes to try to snatch me? What am I supposed to do during the day?" I wasn't really upset with the idea of spending that much time with Eric, especially having spent the greater portion of last night thinking I'd lost him, but I couldn't stand being useless for however long this took. "Eric, couldn't I at least work at Fangtasia on the nights you go in? That way I'd be in the same building as you at least. And, do you think that I could at least have Amelia over during the day sometimes? I know, it's your house and you want to keep it secret, but I swear, I'll go nuts if I have to stay by myself for days on end!"

Eric regarded Amelia carefully. "Yes, that would be acceptable. Witch, I'm trusting you with my Shreveport daytime resting place. You are to tell no-one, even under duress."

Amelia, to her credit, didn't flinch. "Of course, Eric. Especially since you're also housing my best friend."

Eric nodded, and even smiled a bit at her pointed statement. Then he did something that made me melt. "Sam, you are welcome as well, whenever you can get away from your establishment for a few hours. I know Sookie would be glad of your company also."

Sam nodded his appreciation.

I was fighting back tears of sheer joy. My friends and my lover were getting along and Eric had even deigned to use Sam's name. I didn't care how much trouble I was in; this right here was a bit of Heaven.

Eric, manfully ignoring my over-filled eyes, stated, "My lover, I must put in an appearance at Fangtasia to assure the authorities are doing their jobs. I shudder to think what Pam will do if left alone with Compton for much longer." Oh boy did he have a point. Those two got on like oil and water, which is to say, not at all.

"I assume I'm coming with you." The instant the words left my mouth, I wished I could pull them back in. I saw the twinkle in Eric's eyes and just closed my own to wait for it.

"Oh, yes, my lover, do assume that you'll be _coming_ with me. Often, I should think."

As liberated as I had felt earlier in showing Eric my affection in front of people, I still wasn't ready for the innuendo. At least not in front of my boss. Although Sam was just chuckling and shaking his head as he gathered his stuff. "Sookie, I hope you know what you're getting into! I'll catch you later this week, cher. Once I get your shifts covered, Terry should be able to handle the after-lunch stragglers. Amelia, think you could pick up some of Sookie's shifts? I know it's short notice."

Great, now I was feeling guilty for skipping out on poor Sam, but arguing with Eric wasn't going to get me anywhere. I was proud of myself for actually listening to him, but I still resolved to do something extra-nice for Sam sometime soon.

Thankfully, Amelia was more than happy to fill in, which made me feel a bit better. "Sure, no problem! Sookie, wanna do lunch tomorrow? That gives you some time to sleep in, since it seems like you'll have a late night."

"Umm, yeah, that'll work. Eric? We'll need to stop by a grocery on the way home." He was surprisingly happy for me to call his house 'home.' It was kinda cute the way little things like that made his day. Not that I'd ever tell my big, bad vampire that he was being cute. I do have some sense of self-preservation. After giving Amelia directions and exchanging hugs, Eric and I headed to Fangtasia.

"Eric, we're staying at your Shreveport house? Why?"

He didn't look at me or answer, but some prodding of the bond revealed that he was…embarrassed? No, that wasn't quite it. I couldn't place the emotion. He spoke slowly and quietly, with a trace of accent coming through. "I do not wish for anyone but ourselves to set foot in the house where we became one."

Oh, Eric. That did it, I was gone. The tears just poured out of my eyes. I felt, rather than saw Eric start to panic, since seeing was rapidly becoming an issue.

"No, don't, don't worry, I'm just…so happy right now," I blubbered.

Eric sounded doubtful. "And you are crying because you are…happy?"

I chuckled through the tears. "Hasn't Pam informed you that human women leak when everything is just perfect? It's just, you're being so sweet, and you invited Sam over and even used his name and I just love you so darn much!"

"I see." I could tell my poor vampire was lost in trying to understand. My tears dried up and I simply grabbed his free hand, thankful this car, at least, was an automatic. We held hands all the way to Fangtasia, not saying anything, not needing to.

We parked at the back, but I could sense at least six humans, along with what probably amounted to Pam, Bill and the rest of the vampire staff. Before I could even open my door, Eric was there, extending a hand to help me out. He didn't let go after I was standing, but used his grip to pull me into him. His lips attacked mine voraciously, and the desire that had subsided on the way there ratcheted back up, causing me to sag against him.

"Well, lover? Have I been a good boy?" he murmured against my throat while pressing kisses from chin to collarbone, pausing to suck and nip at my pulse point.

"Hmm?" was my intelligent reply. He couldn't honestly expect me to think with one of his hands up my shirt, massaging and tweaking a breast. The other started off groping my ass, but he rapidly slid it down to my knee, hiking my leg up to his hip. I groaned at the feeling of his ever-ready erection pressing right against my core. I also became aware of something else poking me.

"Eric, you've been a very good boy, and I'd love to continue this, but maybe away from the car? The door handle's going to give me bruises." We'd somehow wound up with me pressed against the side of the car, with Eric pressing on me. I hated to move, but that one would have hurt in the morning. "Besides, don't you want to tell Bill about the bond?" Ok, I really shouldn't be using his need to rub me in Bill's face, but I'd rather get it over with so we could get back to the good stuff. I just had to keep reminding myself that, however much I hated it, that was the way it was done in the vamp world. I wasn't going to make the same mistakes twice.

I caught a hint of his beyond self-satisfied expression and realized that had just backfired on me rather badly.

"Oh, yes, my lover, I do indeed wish to inform our Mr. Compton, but I see no reason to postpone what we were doing. It's called, I believe, killing two birds with one stone." With that, he dragged my largely unresisting self into the bar and through to his office. Pam was in there, obviously just finishing feeding off a girl I recognized as one of the regular waitresses. She sent the girl packing with a push out the door as we entered.

"Well, Sookie, don't you look _wonderful_ for someone who was kidnapped just last night." She looked me up and down. "Yes, I can see that Eric took _excellent _care of you."

"Hey, Pam. Thank you, again, for coming to get me and for knocking some sense into me yesterday." I decided to throw her off balance a bit in retaliation for that greeting and gave her a big hug. She stood, stiff as a board, and then rapidly retreated.

Eric just snickered, then ordered, "Pam, leave us, but bring Compton in twenty minutes."

Oh, what had I let myself in for? Although, I must admit, the idea of being 'caught' was stimulating to say the least. I was really hoping to blame this shift in attitude on the part of Eric's soul that I was holding, but somehow, even I wasn't fully buying that one, especially given the increasingly damp situation between my thighs. I just hoped I wouldn't be losing all of my clothes in front of Bill.

Eric's expression was predatory as he slinked toward me. I found myself backing away without realizing it, only to fall onto the couch when my legs hit it. Eric pounced, diving on top of me while simultaneously divesting me of my shirt. Our mouths were frantically working against each other and I stroked my tongue over his extended fangs. He shuddered, which allowed me to claw his shirt off. My hands ran down his firmly muscled back to clutch that luscious derriere, squeezing and groping my favourite Viking part. In doing so, I felt his hardness press into my thigh. We were both so primed, this wasn't going to take long, nor would it be the gentleness of earlier.

Eric, meanwhile, was going to town on my breasts. He suckled a nipple to near painful hardness through the lace of my bra, then switched sides. His hands were bouncing between massaging the breast not being treated to the Eric Northman Oral Special and working on the clasp of my jeans. He gave up in favour of expediently shoving one hand down the front. I felt his fingers brush my sodden panties aside and stroke up and down my moist cleft, occasionally dipping in to circle my pulsing clitoris. I moaned and bucked my hips into his hand, trying to drive it where it belonged. "Errriic!" I whined.

"Patience, sweet."

Easy for him to say. I retaliated by sliding one hand around to cup his straining front. Now it was his turn to thrust forward with a groan. I maintained a steady pressure, not gripping or stroking until he gave in and pumped a finger deep inside me. I reluctantly released my hold on his prize-worthy ass to unbutton and unzip his jeans, setting his rock solid gracious plenty free. He added a second finger inside me as I stroked him. It became a race to see who would come first. I was amazed at the total confidence I was feeling in my sexuality; I could only attribute it to feeling totally right in being with Eric and the lightness in my own soul after breaking the spell.

A bruising kiss later, Eric started rubbing my swollen bud with his thumb, so I swiped mine across his tip, collecting the pre-come gathered there. "Watch me, Eric," I said huskily, waiting for his searing gaze to meet mine before showily licking at my thumb with my tongue, then sucking it into my mouth hard enough to hollow out my cheeks. The other hand maintained a steady pace on his hard, throbbing erection, which he broke by suddenly thrusting frantically against it.

"Oh, gods, Sookie!"

I only had a moment to relish my near victory as he curled his fingers in such a way that I almost exploded right then and there. Now it was my hips bucking and twisting against his fingers.

"Oh! Yes! Eric! Again!"

We were flying headlong toward our respective climaxes, with the bond beginning its fireworks. Eric was babbling away in some foreign language, while I was screaming to God and Eric, not sure if I was confusing the two at that moment. I knew what I wanted, what I needed, so I rolled my head to the side, exposing my neck. I'm not a fan of visible bite marks, but since Eric wanted to stake his claim tonight, I figured it didn't matter. He could always heal them later.

Eric looked intently into my eyes, never ceasing his hand, which was good, since at that point I'd probably have staked him. He saw my total sincerity and his own eyes softened from their lust-filled haze. He nuzzled against my neck, lapping at my pulse point, before biting down. The feeling of my life flowing into him, along with his own pleasure in my fae-laced blood, hit me hard and I began to topple over the edge.

"Yes, YES! Oh, Eric! God, Eric!"

Just then, the door opened. And we both came, crying the other's name.

By the time I recovered my vision from the sparks imprinted on my retinas, Eric had tucked himself back in and was handing me my shirt. The sheer ego radiating off him could have boiled an egg. I glanced past him to the door. Bill stood there, open-mouthed. I ignored the bulge in his trousers, other than to realise that had just killed any pity I may have held for what Eric was about to do. I pulled my shirt on, then, swinging my hips, stalked over to Eric who was now sitting behind his desk and perched myself on his lap with an arm around his shoulders. Pam, who I hadn't noticed, gave me a small smirk and a nod of approval, which was heart-warming in its own way.

Bill, unfortunately, recovered, and opened his mouth. "Sookie, what are you doing? Acting like a fangbanger? I'm shocked by your behaviour."

Eric started to get up, but I put a hand on his chest telling him I'd handle it. "Well, Bill, I'm sorry to hear you're displeased, but I have to say, I really can't care. I was simply enjoying a pleasant interlude with my bonded and I don't see how that's anything to be ashamed of." I didn't want to be mean or hurtful to him, since I did have a few good memories of our time together, but I wanted to make it plain that I saw nothing wrong in being with Eric.

The pride flowing from Eric, along with Pam's discreet smile, was reward enough.

Poor Bill, however, just didn't get it. "Eric, I thought you at least cared for Sookie. How could you treat her like a common whore? And isn't she supposed to be on her way to Stan by now, anyway?"

I was so worked up over being called a whore, even indirectly, by my ex-boyfriend that it took me a minute to catch up to the rest of what he'd said. "Wait, how'd you know about the offer from Stan? I only told Eric about it last night. And I'm guessing he only told Pam." A quick look at Eric's impression of a rock confirmed that.

Oh, Bill. Why?

* * *

Ok, nobody panic! Things will become clear and I'm not turning on poor Bill. Much.


	13. Duplicity

A/N: Y'all are really bloodthirsty, ya know? I hope this meets with your need for a bit of Bill-bashing. I really think he's more inept than evil, but he still deserves some punishment!

Disclaimer: If it was mine, I wouldn't be a poor graduate student.

* * *

Duplicity _n_ deliberate deceptiveness in behaviour or speech

Eric gently pushed me off his lap and was instantly on top of Bill, holding him by the throat against the door. "Compton, you have just signed your own death warrant. I have been waiting for this for a very long time and am most definitely going to enjoy it. You will suffer more than you ever thought possible and you will beg for me to end it, but I will not. I can torture you for months before you begin to go insane from the pain and lack of blood. Then I will let you recover and begin again." The scary thing was, Eric was in perfect control during this, remaining calm and speaking in a slow, careful cadence, albeit through glistening fangs. "Not only have you once again gone behind my back in one of your schemes, but you could have seriously injured my bonded. As it is, you have insulted her greatly tonight. So much for your great love. You do not know that emotion. And you have now lost the opportunity to ever learn it."

I stupidly, but bravely, stepped in. Laying a hand on Eric's forearm, I spoke up. "Eric, let him down for a second, ok? I want to know why. I think I deserve that much."

Eric never looked at me, but pulled Bill away from the door and placed him on the sofa, without letting go of his throat.

"Eric, you're going to have to let him go so he can talk." He shifted his hand to Bill's shoulder, and I could hear his collarbone protest against the tight grip.

"Ok, Bill, I'm only going to ask once before I let Eric do whatever he wants to you. I forgave you for only being interested in me because you were ordered to, even forgave you taking my virginity when you didn't love me. I forgave you for raping and nearly draining me in that trunk." He looked worriedly at Eric. "Oh, don't worry, Eric already knows about all of that. See, he actually knows me. You never really did, especially if you thought that you could make me run back to you after everything you did. So, spill!" I commanded.

Bill cringed at the force of my anger, since I was raging hot to Eric's icy cold. "I was just supposed to make sure you felt like leaving Louisiana. Russell claims I 'owe' him for not letting Lorena stake me on sight, and he has long desired to have you work for him. Once Russell learned about Eric's attempts to free you from obligation to Felipe, it was the perfect time to strike. He actually induced Felipe to accept Eric's proposal and helped work out how to get Barry away from Stan, figuring that if you were free from your responsibilities here and I could convince you Eric was up to no good, you would be more inclined to leave. Russell suggested that Stan turn to you as a plausible offer of replacement, since thought he could convince Stan to give you up or share you, which is how I was aware of the request for you to move to Texas. Russell just knew he needed to get you away from Eric, so that was my objective. You were mine, before, and then Eric stole you by dazzling you with his charm. I thought I could have you again if I showed you that Eric was going to abandon you when it suited him, but I was loyal and would take care of you. Then you would trust me and obey my telling you to go to Texas." Eric was snarling throughout this speech, and I could tell he was rapidly losing his composure.

Once again, I was reduced to property in Mr. Compton's mind. For a half second, I was really tempted to let Eric go at him, but then sanity returned, or at least my last dregs of compassion. "You know what, Bill? You're not even worth it. All you can do is follow the orders of someone above you. You claim to care about me and all that, but the instant somebody with more power tells you to do something regarding me, you can't even think to just tell me about it. You're spineless, Bill, and for all your 'mainstreaming', Eric and Pam are twice as human as you, since they can actually be said to have friends and treat them right. And you honestly thought I'd just leap into your arms? When have you ever been able to order me to do anything?" I was disgusted that it had taken me so long to see through him. And angry at both him and Russell for trying to move me around like I didn't have a mind of my own. "And you thought a spell would be the right way to 'convince' me that Eric was going to hurt me? Just who did you get to perform it, anyway?"

As soon as I said it, both Bill and Eric shook their heads.

Bill was spluttering, "Spell? What spell? Sookie, I didn't do any spell."

"No, I said before, the spell does not fit with Compton's methods. We are missing something." Eric seemed to have gotten past his protective, possessive instincts, at least to the point where he wasn't going to tear Bill's head off right away, in favour of this new mystery. Did that mean someone else was after me, too? I really couldn't deal with this right now.

Pam spoke up from where she was sitting daintily on the edge of Eric's desk. Since the bar wasn't open tonight, she was dressed in her typical pastels, wearing a lovely lavender cashmere sweater top and cream trousers that looked stunning but entirely out of context, especially with the predatory gleam in her eyes, not to mention the extended fangs. "Master, I think I'm missing some of the events of last night. As far as I have been informed, Sookie was still under the effects of the spell causing her to react against the bond and you, and she had declared her intention to leave for Texas. Am I to understand that the spell is no longer affecting her?"

"Very well, it seems explanations are in order. Compton, you will attend carefully to what I am about to say and when I am finished, you will tell me everything of your arrangement with Russell. If I even suspect your involvement on the fringe of the greater events, you will not have many more nights to rise." Even I was getting chills from the frigid tone to Eric's voice.

"Sookie's reactions yesterday were driven by a spell, just as the witch and shifter suspected. However, she also accepted our blood bond before coming here last night, which broke the compulsion over her. Unfortunately, it was apparently rigged with an emotional trap and forced her into deep despair, which is why she was willing to take Stan's offer and why she was able to be captured so easily. According to the witch, the bond was also fogged by the remnants of the spell, which would have prevented my reaching her before she would have gone insane from the negative emotions, if not for the spell to track the bond." Eric paused, and I walked over to him, wrapping my arms around him. I could feel both his physical trembling and his anger and remembered terror. I just looked up at him as he nearly crushed me to him. Our eyes met and he calmed at the fact that I was still there, with him. Stroking my hair, he obviously remembered we weren't alone. I watched a mischievous gleam appear in his sapphire gaze and smugness permeate the bond. I sighed and rolled my eyes at him, feeling his amusement. He couldn't resist gloating even under the circumstances. He continued, "Fortunately, the spell the witch performed last night not only allowed me to reach Sookie in time, but also created a deeper bond that overrode the effects of the compulsion spell, especially after she ingested my blood."

Looking directly at Bill, but keeping me within his arms, Eric practically puffed out his chest. "Apparently, we are not simply bondmates, but soulmates, as the witch's spell caused our bond to deepen in a way particular to those who share souls. We were destined for each other and I will brook no interference from anyone who wishes to take Sookie from me."

Bill seemed to flinch at the direct threat in Eric's voice. It was interesting that Eric hadn't mentioned anything directly about the soul transfer or our new ability to contact each other mentally. I guess that was something that shouldn't really be advertised and if we weren't sure about Bill's reliability, it was a good idea not to give him more information than necessary.

"Now, Compton, you will explain in detail your instructions from Russell and how your actions figured into the events of last night."

Keeping his eyes averted from either me or the sight of me in Eric's arms, Bill spoke. "I was supposed to re-establish myself in Sookie's life and attempt to seduce her back to belonging to me." Pam snorted, loudly. "In the event that I failed, I was to sabotage your relationship with her by proving that you couldn't be trusted or wasn't able to protect her. Given that you'd had little contact with her since the take-over, I thought it would be easy to force a wedge between you, so I began telling Sookie how often I'd seen you with various fangbangers or spending time socializing with the king and his entourage."

Well, it's not like I had totally believed him, although his little jabs had definitely plagued my mind and had come rushing back out when I first confronted Eric. I had to keep focusing on what Bill was saying so I wouldn't let my hurt and anger at his deception overwhelm me.

"So you were trying to play mind games and failed pretty miserably?" Pam was loving this, I could tell. I wondered why she hated Bill so much, but knew better than to ask.

"Pamela." Oo, full name!

"Yes, Master. I apologize."

"Continue, Compton."

Bill slid his eyes over to me then flicked them away again. "When I saw that Sookie was going to Fangtasia last night, I knew that I had been unsuccessful and that you would manage to charm your way back into her bed, so I activated my back-up plan. I had previously called the local Fellowship cell and anonymously notified them that an extremely dangerous vampire and his willing human slave would be visiting Fangtasia sometime soon and that they would need to plan an attack to be activated when the date was confirmed. I called to confirm the attack, leading to the bombing. I thought Sookie would have been able to pick up on their thoughts and gone to investigate. They were supposed to keep watch for a blonde human female and capture her for their supposed 're-education', which led to Sookie's abduction."

Oh my God. How could I have not seen this coming? Why did I always put my trust in the wrong people? Eric was right to want to cut Bill out of my life after I'd finally discovered the full extent of his previous betrayals. Geez, listen to me, thinking about 'previous betrayals' like it was no big deal! Was this my reward for trying to forgive and forget? Maybe the vamps had it right and it wasn't worth the pain to turn the other cheek and act with compassion.

Then my traitorous ex-boyfriend looked at me, beseechingly. "Sookie, I swear, they were not supposed to hurt you! They were only supposed to capture you so I could rescue you before Eric, proving that I would look out for you while he couldn't! I don't know why they went against the plan, but you must believe me that I would never want you hurt."

All three of us scoffed at this.

"Bill, you've done nothing but hurt me since I met you! I can't believe you!"

Eric abruptly released me and in one blurred movement, had grabbed Bill off the couch and thrown him fully against the opposite wall. He streaked over to where Bill had fallen in a heap and slammed him bodily into the wall. He punctuated his words with slamming Bill's head against the wall, causing dust to fly as the force knocked a hole through the drywall. "You…fucking…waste…of…space! I…should…have…staked…you….years…ago!"

Not content with the blood running down the back of Bill's head, Eric picked him up and threw him facedown on the desk, practically breaking Bill's neck as he ground his face into the papers on the surface of his desk. "How dare you risk Sookie's life in an attempt to turn her against me! You actually trusted those Fellowship scum to not injure her? If I had not stepped in when I did, the consequences would have been dire. As it stands, you have not only betrayed Sookie, but have broken your oath of fealty to me as Sheriff of the Area and I find you guilty of treason by inciting an attack on my property, as well as purposefully attempting to damage my bonded. I would be well within my rights to stake you right now."

If Eric had been human, he would have been panting with rage. As it was, I was buffeted by the waves of fury that poured through the bond and would probably have fallen over if Pam hadn't suddenly appeared to hold me by the shoulders. She could most likely feel Eric's wrath, too. It would have been terrifying if I couldn't tell that he was more upset at the fact that I was hurt and could have been killed than anything else.

Bill didn't say anything. He probably knew his time was up, whether from Eric or from Russell for screwing up their plans.

Eric continued, "Despite the provocation of your actions, I will not end your miserable existence as yet. I want to know all the details of your arrangement with Russell. And I want Felipe to bear witness to your perfidy, along with Russell's machinations as they played out in his territory. There is also the matter of discussing how you will compensate me for the damage done to Fangtasia. Therefore, you will spend at least the next week in a silver-wrapped coffin in the basement, shut off from the world and unable to feed. When next I question you, you will tell me everything you know and in return, I will tell you what the king has decided on in regard to your fate."

Eric's rage hadn't abated in the slightest, but he seemed to be controlling it. I wanted to say something to Bill, but wasn't sure what could be said. Anything I said would just be twisted in his mind. Besides, I couldn't trust my voice to work, sad and hurt as I was at this final betrayal.

Eric practically dragged Bill out of the office, heading for the basement with its silver chains. Pam spoke up, glee in her voice. "Soulmates? Oh, wonderful! Now he'll be even more insufferable in proclaiming that you were 'meant to be his.' So many opportunities to tease him! Well, Sookie, welcome to the family!" Pam's voice was heavy with sarcasm at the last bit, but abruptly turned deadly serious. "You do plan on remaining with my Master now, do you not? I do not joke when I say it will kill him for you to accept him and then later push him away."

"Oh, no, Pam! I mean it, really. I don't think I could live without Eric, either, and with this soulmate thing, we're so tightly bound together that I don't think I would even want to! But really, I don't think I can thank you enough for lighting a fire under my stubborn ass yesterday. I really needed to hear what you said. I do want to apologize for how I've been treating you lately as well. I, well, I'd like to say we're friends and to move on from there." I wasn't sure how Pam would take this, but I definitely wasn't expecting her expression to soften a bit. On her, it was practically a grin.

"Sookie, I would like to call you friend. For a human, you are not particularly annoying and interesting things always seem to happen around you. Besides, now you can join me in tormenting Eric. It is ever so much fun to get him worked up and he'll let you get away with so much more than I ever could." That Pam. I just laughed and rolled my eyes. At least she was distracting me from what was going on beneath us. I'd have time to think about it later, but right then, I just wanted to curl up in Eric's arms and forget the world for a bit.

Eric was back more quickly than I expected. He took one look at my wan expression and visibly tried to calm himself. Punishing Bill, although doubtless less bloody than he would have liked, must have taken some of his anger. "My lover, I need to confer with Pam about the reconstruction of the front and address the authorities, and then we can be on our way. Will you stay here, in my office?"

I nodded. "Sure, Eric. Can I have some water, though? I'm a little worn out." Pam darted out and returned with a bottle of water before I could sink onto the couch. Eric, apparently not liking what he was feeling through the bond, sat and wrapped his arms around me. I retreated into a numb state, slowly sipping my water, while Eric and Pam tossed around ideas about remodelling versus complete reconstruction. I wasn't really upset, just sad that yet again, Bill had the power to completely disrupt my life. I barely felt it when Eric stood up, giving me a kiss on the forehead and left to go talk to the police and insurance people out front. I couldn't even say what thoughts were going through my mind, if any. The next thing I registered was Eric picking me up and carrying me out to his car.


	14. Recovery

A/N: I'm so glad that Bill's put away for a bit; it's a pain trying to balance his ineptness with his blindness to reality. I much prefer our lovebirds! Ok, a bit of Eric's take on things, although it gets a touch Heinlein-esque at one point.

Disclaimer: Still not mine! Old Norse will always be from

http: // hem. passagen. se/ peter9/ gram/ index. html for future reference!

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Recovery _n_ the act of recovering; restoration to any former and better state or condition

EPOV

Sookie didn't say anything on the drive back. I was concerned, but prodding the bond proved that she was simply internalising the events of the evening. Fucking Compton. I wanted nothing more than to rend him limb from limb, but because of his fucking database and the revenue it pulled in, I had to defer his final punishment to Felipe. Fucking bureaucracy. It had been a good night up until Compton's betrayal. Sookie had completely embraced both the bond and our relationship and had turned into quite the minx. I got hard just thinking about the interlude in my office.

And later, the way she stood up to that bastard and held her head high was beyond fucking sexy. I wanted to take her right there when she'd announced that there wasn't anything wrong with enjoying fucking in a public place, as long as it was with me. My incredible arousal warred with my desperate need to protect her from the sorrow I could feel swamping the bond. My lover always wanted to believe the best in people, and that n**í**ðingr had shown her how wrong she was so often that, if I didn't know how strong she really was, I'd be worried about her losing that spark of compassion and empathy that was so goddamn attractive on her, even if it did get her into trouble.

She was still quiet when we arrived at my Shreveport house. I had her in my arms before she could open the car door and we were inside and in one of the spare bedrooms in an instant. I set her down, asking if she wanted to clean up before bed. She simply nodded, so I quickly gathered the necessary items, including a set of pyjamas she had packed before we left Bon Temps. I led her into the bathroom and turned on the water before undressing her carefully. I was still hard, both from the earlier anger and from the sheer proximity of her curvaceous form, but I could tell it wasn't the right time. This bond was a curse and a blessing if I was going to put off my own needs for hers. After shedding my own clothes, I led her under the shower head and tenderly washed her from head to toe. I didn't even let myself linger on the more pleasurable areas. I started to wash myself, but Sookie's small hands took the cloth from me and treated me in the same manner. I had to restrain my reaction to her delicate touch on my arousal; this woman could make me hard at high noon, let alone standing naked in the shower while washing me so gently.

Finishing, we stepped out of the shower, neither saying anything. We dried each other, and I handed her the pyjamas before deciding to sleep in boxers. Normally, I would sleep nude, but for tonight, I wanted Sookie to feel comfortable and not pressured until she had assimilated this latest stab in the back. I would stay with her until she fell asleep, retreating to my dayroom with the dawn.

All of my good intentions flew out the window once we were settled in bed. Sookie snuggled into my side, with her head on my shoulder, as I wrapped her in my arms. The feeling of her pressed against me made me ache and her scent, that delicious fragrance unique to my bonded, surrounded me, fogging my earlier resolutions. I shifted her in my arms to bury my head under her hair, against the curve of her neck. Nirvana. I was instantly hard and throbbing.

"Eric?" I could barely rouse myself from the scent of her skin. It was almost as intoxicating as her blood. I could swear she tasted more Fae every time I drank from her.

"Yes, my love?"

"Why did you work so hard to get me out of having to work for Felipe? Half the time, I'd only see you if you wanted me to work or had to take me somewhere else to use my ability. So, why would you cut off your only guaranteed method of seeing me, especially since I wasn't being very nice and probably wouldn't see you outside of doing a job?"

I gave up on thoughts of seducing her and fell back onto the bed with a sigh. This woman would drive me insane! Of all the times to ask a fucking serious question. I supposed she deserved an answer, although I did not like how I would appear.

"Lover, I at first wished to merely establish a contract with Felipe in regard to how he could utilize your services, namely by going through me, in an effort to limit your contact with the Nevada contingent. I do not trust our illustrious new king, or his second, and was most seriously displeased in their continued interest in you after the take-over was complete. In doing so, however, I saw an opportunity to completely sever the ties that would bind you to the kingdom, although now I recognize Russell's guidance behind-the-scenes, as it were. I wanted, originally, for you to feel indebted to me, allowing us to begin to discuss the things left unsaid and to plan for the future. I soon realized, however, that to do so would be as dishonest as you had always accused me of being and my reasoning became that it would simply bring you peace of mind. I wanted you to be able to come to me of your own choice, free from the pressures of involvement in my world, at least as much as I was able to remove them. I should have realized that Felipe's sudden acceptance, contingent on my continued protection of you, was contrived. He no doubt saw fit to add that caveat for legitimising my removal after Russell successfully pulled you to him. I am under no illusions that I was spared the slaughter of the Queen's Sheriffs for any other reason than our bond." I ceased, uncertain as to Sookie's reaction. I do try, but it is beyond difficult to give up the ways of manipulation when one has been practicing them for one thousand years.

She stayed silent and I began to feel disquieted. "Sookie, I am sorry to have to admit my initial motivations after the shock of earlier, but I will not lie to you. You asked and I answered."

My bonded laced the fingers of her tiny hand through mine. In a small voice, she said, "I know you can't help the way you start to act; you wouldn't be you if you didn't strategize and use every available method to get what you want. It kinda hurts a bit that you were planning on trapping me into being grateful to you in order to cement our relationship, but then again, I wasn't giving you any hope that you could do it above board. I am glad you told me though. It's a nice change to have some honesty upfront and I know you'd never lie to me. Omit things, definitely, but at least we don't lie to each other. And it was incredibly thoughtful of you to even try to get me away from vamp politics, even if it was being manipulated from the start." She gave a small sigh and I pulled my astonishing, and recently forgiving and benevolent mate to me.

She continued, "I just don't understand why Bill would do something like that. Especially after the whole thing with the Queen and then Lorena. How can he say he loves me if he's willing to trick me and lie to me to get what he wants? And why couldn't I see through him? I really thought he still loved me."

"Dear one, I am sorry for all that you have gone through in the past two days, and even before that with the effects of the spell. I swear to you, we will discover who was behind it and I will exact revenge. You will not suffer anymore. I swear it!" I was adamant that this woman who had borne more pain and ill treatment than one could imagine would never feel mistreated again, not so long as I still walked this Earth. It would have been the perfect opportunity to affirm my statements more physically, but I could tell my poor beleaguered lover was not quite up to it. I settled for a deep, passionate kiss, through which I attempted to show her my steadfast devotion, unshakable ardour, and staunch defence of both her physical and emotional well-being. I twisted so she was stretched along the length of my body, allowing her to feel in control and not overwhelmed. The sensation of her inflamed response, nipping and sucking on my lower lip before plunging her tongue to meet mine, nearly did me in.

"Lover, if you do not feel ready, do not feel we have to continue. I know tonight was overwhelming emotionally and I do not wish to have you do anything you don't wish to." I couldn't believe I was fucking talking her out of it. I was becoming as much a slave to this thrice-blessed and damned bond as any human.

She giggled. That impertinent baggage lying against me actually giggled. At me! "Well, I'll understand if you're not up for it, Viking. I realize you are getting on in years and that even thinking about three times in one night might be a bit much."

I'm ashamed to say I actually just stared at her. I double and treble checked the bond just to be sure she was serious. Gods be praised, she really was my soulmate! Gone was the sorrow and quiet disappointment and she was aflame with desire and joy.

"Eric, I'm serious, really. Bill's of the past and yes, his betrayal hurts, but I've already committed myself to you. Your words tonight just made me fall a little bit more for you and now I want you to take me and prove that I'm yours." She leaned down and licked my nipple, then gave it a nip. "So, what'll it be, lover?"

By the gods, I love this woman. "Getting on in years, am I? I beg to differ." Sitting up and forcing her to do the same, I hastily tore off her pyjamas, shedding my own boxers in an instant. Our mouths crashed together violently as I yanked her to me, kneeling in the middle of the bed. I tangled my hand in her hair to hold her to me, while the other snaked around her waist, pressing her against my extremely hard erection. She moaned against my mouth, a delightfully wanton sound that only spurred me on.

Breaking the kiss, I shoved her down so she was laid out before me. Her glorious hair was spread out in a corona around her flushed face, with her eyes sparkling at me in trust, excitement and love. Her magnificent breasts with their dark and hardened tips were heaving, giving me a lovely show. Leaning over her, I slowly traced my hands down her impeccable figure.

"Now, my lover, I have you where I want you, but what to do with you?" She rolled her eyes at the banal line, but I wanted to inject humour into our encounter. With no one else did I find such satisfaction and laughter mixed together and I wanted to remind both her and myself of our compatibility.

She squirmed delightfully against me, whining, "Eric! I thought you were going to take me, not tease me! I need you!"

Her tone was serious. I ran a hand down her curves, allowing my fingers to brush the side of her breast and was rewarded with a gasp. Lightly tracing the tips of my fingers across her hipbone, I flattened my hand to slide it over her downy patch and between her legs. I quirked an eyebrow at her in surprise. "Well, my lover. It seems you're more than ready for me." That was an understatement; she was dripping wet with anticipation. I couldn't help feeling proud of the fact that I made her so, although I was suddenly mindful of the fact that others desired her as well.

My voice roughed as I continued to lightly stroke her, "Tell me you only get this wet for me, Sookie. Tell me only I bring you to your peak and that it is only me you fantasize about fucking you."

"Oh! Eric, it's only you! It's only ever been you! I swear!" She was beginning to pant and buck against my hand. She tried to pull me to her, but I instantly had her hands held above her head.

"Eric! I need you and only you! Please, fuck me!" Her begging snapped any last restraint. I was already harder than I'd been all night. Knowing she was completely submitting to me was the ultimate aphrodisiac. Stretched out above her, I bucked my hips, teasing her opening with the head of my aching cock. I felt beyond powerful as her eyes rolled up.

"Oh God. Oh, Eric, fuck me. You're the only one who makes me feel this way. Ah! I need you, deep inside me, making me yours."

With that comment, I was completely gone. I slammed my cock all the way inside, feeling the hot, pulsing grip of her velvety walls. Picking up a brutal pace, I pulled nearly all the way out before thrusting back in, hitting the entrance to her womb. I maintained my grip, pinning her arms above her head. I did not want to give her any chance to take over, not that it seemed she would.

"Who do you belong to?" I grated out, nearly losing it with a particularly violent thrust.

"You! Oh! Eric, I'm yours!" Looking down at my sultry beloved, with her face breathtaking in its passion, I felt pure love overcome me. The bond opened and it was as if we were the other, in addition to ourselves. I could feel the friction of my thrusts along her walls, as well as her taking me all the way inside. No one else existed outside of our union; there was no truth other than our coming together.

"Mine!" I growled, although the voice that sounded was hers. We were so deeply intertwined that our thoughts were one, as our bodies and souls were joined. There was no submission or dominance, only a completed entity, two halves meeting to create a perfect being of love and belonging.

Our cries grew in intensity as we continued to pound into us. We reached that brief moment of clarity before sheer ecstasy broke over us. We could feel the pouring of our seed deep at the head of our womb, yet also feel the sensation of being filled. Shuddering from aftershocks, I came back to myself before collapsing, managing to land face-down next to my beloved, rather than crushing her. I almost felt the need to breathe, as I slowly registered Sookie's harsh pants. I managed to roll slightly to face her. As our eyes met, we both sported slightly intoxicated grins. She began to giggle, and I was soon roaring with laughter. Countless moments passed as we were wrapped in our mirth. This was bliss. My lover had given herself to me, as I gave myself to her and we could appreciate the time we had together, filling it with the laughter that had been missing from the majority of the past millennium.

"Wow." Sookie apparently had recovered her breath, along with her gift for understatement.

"Wow, indeed, dear one."

"I'm definitely not complaining, but I hope it's not like that every time. I don't think I'd survive it!"

"I think, perhaps…that is," I was finding it difficult to maintain a coherent thought. I began again, "I believe that the bond will not respond the same every time, but rather react to the situation at hand. We needed to prove that we belonged to the other wholly, therefore we literally became one. And as intense as that experience was, beloved, I do not think I could survive that every time, either. Especially as I plan on having you at least three times a day from now on," I only felt it fair to warn her. I found I was supremely content and utterly uninterested in moving to my dayroom. I felt a pulse of something through the bond.

"What is it?"

"Nothing, it's just…you called me 'beloved.'" Sookie sounded hesitant.

"That is often how I refer to you in my thoughts. I can refrain from saying it out loud, if you…"

"No! I like it. A lot, actually," she interrupted. "It was just a surprise, that's all."

"Very well, I will reserve it for special occasions." I could only hope she would also appreciate the sentiment as I actually thought it, in my own language.

"Well, you'll be pulling it out a lot, cuz this, with the two of us together, in my book, that's special." Damn it, the woman was going to make me break down. I blinked back the moisture from my eyes and focused instead on pulling my lover to me and slowly and passionately exploring her mouth with mine.

"I love you," I said as soon as she needed breath.

"I love you," she replied, gracing me with the most gentle, tender smile I'd yet seen. Kissing her hard again, I went to my daytime rest with that smile in my thoughts.

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Sorry about the serious _Stranger in a Strange Land_ type moment, but since I had the bond going there, I had to follow! Don't worry, more plot in the next few chapters!

*n**í**ðingr - honourless person


	15. Complication

A/N: In the words of the immortal Bertie Wooster, "This plot is thicker than mulligatawny."

Disclaimer: All is not mine.

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Complication _n_ something that introduces, usually unexpectedly, some difficulty, problem, change

SPOV

I woke well into the morning. It was 11:30, according to the clock, and I felt incredibly relaxed. Remembering the last part of the previous night, I smiled and stretched languorously. I couldn't believe how utterly content I felt considering I'd been through the emotional wringer lately. Of course, my mood was broken by my cell phone ringing. I debated not getting up, but then remembered that Amelia was coming over sometime today. I dove for my purse, dumping the contents on the floor until I could find the darn thing.

"Amelia?"

"Oh, good, you're up! I was wondering if your Viking god had tired you out too much to have visitors." Amelia's voice was annoyingly perky.

"Ah, no. I'm up. What time will you be here?" Please be long enough for me to have a shower!

"I'm about an hour out. Did you need me to pick up anything? You guys kinda left in a hurry last night. I did bring some of your toiletries you left at home."

"Oh! If you don't mind, we had a bit of a crisis last night and didn't stop to get any food. I mean, there's probably something edible, but Pam's not really the one to trust with grocery shopping. Could you pick up some basics and maybe some salad stuff for lunch? I'll pay you back."

"Sook, it's no problem. We don't want you to starve, doing all that exercise with your man and not having any food!" Oh this was going to be a long visit.

"Thanks, Amelia. I really owe you. You sure you can find the house ok?"

"Yep, no problem. See you in a bit!"

After hanging up, I straightened up the bed and picked up the scattered clothes. I never did get back into my pyjamas last night. I should probably get used to sleeping naked though, if I was going to be spending that much time with Eric. The thought of more time with him made me smile.

I wandered back to the bathroom and this time, took in the opulence. That shower could easily have fit six people! And the mirror had to be at least six feet long, spanning the entire length of the marble counter. I felt a sudden twinge at the thought of watching Eric fuck me against the opposite wall. Ok, need to shower and get a hold of myself! I groaned as even my mind ganged up with the innuendos.

Keeping an eye on the clock, since only Eric would have a clock in the bathroom, I cleaned up and even had time to apply some make-up before rushing downstairs to meet Amelia at the door. She came in, carrying enough bags to probably feed the general population of Bon Temps.

"Jeez, 'Meals! We're not coming under siege!"

Amelia just looked at me calmly, saying, "Actually, that's pretty much what is happening. You're bunking down here until who knows when and with crazy Fellowship people after you, not to mention whoever cast the spell, it's best to be prepared."

I'd forgotten Amelia didn't know the events from last night. I decided it could wait until after lunch. I helped her find places to put all the food, arguing with her about paying her back, which she refused. We made salad and Amelia'd bought some nice rolls, so we took our lunch, along with a bottle of rosé, out to the patio I'd seen in my flight down the stairs.

"So, spill! Tell me everything! Was this mysterious crisis that prevented you from getting food something to do with what I interrupted in the kitchen? How is Eric, ya know, in the sack?"

It was nice to have a real reason to dodge that question for once. "Actually, no, the crisis was my deceitful ex. Bill was the one who was behind the attack on Fangtasia and having the Fellowship kidnap me. It was because of some deal he had with Russell Edgington, from Mississippi, to try to lure me out of Eric's protection and end up either in Texas or working for Russell."

"Oh my God! Was he behind the spell, too? Cuz that was a good way to break up you and Eric. If it had worked…" We both took a minute to consider the possible consequences.

"No, he swears he didn't know anything about a spell and Eric agrees that Bill wouldn't be able to do something like that. That's not to say Russell couldn't have done it and not told Bill, of course."

"So, what's going to happen with Bill? I bet Eric was pissed! Attacking both his bar and his woman? Not a good move!" Amelia seemed totally impressed with Eric lately, ever since she had gone with to rescue me from the FOTS idiots.

"Bill's actually being punished right now, but Eric's deferring the final punishment to Felipe, since it was basically an attack on his assets. Eric was super angry though. It was pretty scary for a minute." I shuddered to think about the tidal wave of fury I'd felt and gladly gulped at the glass of wine Amelia pushed at me.

"Yeah, but with the way your aura's pulsing and that smile you greeted me with, it couldn't have been all bad last night, right? So, details, woman! Just how _is_ Tall, Blonde and Undead between the sheets?" Amelia prodded.

"Eric's amazing, actually, and you wouldn't believe the size of him. I call it his 'gracious plenty', cuz, sister, that is a gracious plenty of manhood." Apparently my mouth had decided to run off without my brain. Maybe I'd had too much wine? I couldn't believe I was telling Amelia all of this! "And with our deeper connection, Lord have mercy, is sex intense! Last night was like we were practically one person. I could feel everything he was feeling and vice versa. I almost blacked out from the sheer pleasure, because let me tell you, one thousand years of sex gives a man plenty of experience, especially when they're as talented as Eric!"

"Stop that, you'll make me jealous!" came a voice from behind me. I jumped out of my skin, turning around to see who it was. Depending on who it was, I was debating kissing them for stopping my motor mouth.

"Claudine! What are you doing here?! Are you crazy? This is Eric's house and having a full-blooded Fairy around is not a good idea!" I wasn't sure if I was more worried about Claudine's being able to track me to Eric's or what he would do if he rose and smelled Fairy.

"Relax, cousin. That's why I showed up when you were outside. My scent should dissipate faster out here." That was not totally reassuring, especially as she gave me a quick hug.

"Not that I'm not glad to see you, but why are you here, at Eric's?" I figured I'd try to hit that point home. It was barely two in the afternoon, so Eric wouldn't be rising for a good few hours, but still, this was not the smartest move Claudine could've pulled.

"Do I need a reason to visit my cousin? Oh, Amelia, I'd love a glass, thank you." My currently irritating cousin sank gracefully into a spare chair and accepted the wineglass from my friend.

"Mm, that's quite refreshing. It's a bit warm out today, isn't it? Although that may have been due to Sookie's little recitation. So, go on, little cousin! Tell us more about your vampire! Does he always bite you during sex and does it really feel as good as they say it does?" Great, now I was getting it on both sides. I purposefully tightened up my shields, not wanting to see what Amelia'd be thinking after that comment. Curiously, I didn't have the urge to spill anymore details.

"Let's not go there, shall we? Some things are kind of private."

"Claudine, you haven't said what's brought you by. Anything in particular?" Amelia asked.

"Witch, don't even try it. My wards are more than capable of handling your poking and prodding. Use it on Sookie instead; I want more dirty details." Amelia looked a bit put-out at Claudine's statement.

Ok, I was lost. "Um, what just happened?"

Claudine laughed merrily. "Oh, you don't know? Amelia here has discovered a new gift. She can compel others into giving up information they'd rather keep private. She was doing it to you when I popped in and just tried it on me. Fortunately, I felt her trying it out and can block her."

Amelia had the grace to look a little shame-faced when I turned to her. "Amelia! How could you use it on me without telling me?! You always yell at me when I accidentally read you, even though you're the loudest broadcaster I know! How is this different?"

"I just wanted some dishing on that boytoy of yours. You never satisfy my curiosity. It's called filling in your friends, Sook! I was feeling neglected." She pouted outrageously as she defended herself and I just had to laugh.

"Ok, you get a free pass, but next time, just tell me when you feel like I'm shutting you out and I'll decide how much I want to tell you, 'kay?" I was still feeling a bit guilty about the effect of the spell on our relationship and realized that it probably was normal to talk about intimate stuff. I was just so used to filtering it out of people's thoughts that I never really considered it was ok to talk about, in moderation.

She beamed at me and Claudine looked approving. "So, we've got good wine, plenty of sunshine, and fun company. I'd say it's a good day for girl talk, wouldn't you, Amelia?"

I groaned, realising that I'd been set up. "What do you want to know?"

Claudine shot Amelia a look and my witchy friend spoke up, "Actually, I'd kind of like to know about the biting, since, ah, you obviously did some donating last night."

Oh. I'd forgotten about the mark on my neck in the drama that unfolded afterward. Eric didn't get a chance to heal them completely. "Right, forgot about those. Actually, they were to prove a point to Bill, before everything fell to pieces. Eric normally doesn't leave obvious marks on me."

Claudine jumped in with, "Normally? So your vampire does feed from you regularly?"

I was squirming a bit. Eric's biting me has always been the subject of my most privately held moments, given the erotic nature of sustaining my lover with my lifeforce. I really didn't want to get into it, but I didn't want to disappoint my friends. "Not really normally. He only drank from me the once last night. I mean, we haven't really talked about it, if he's going to drink from me exclusively or not. We've only been really together for two days." I frowned. Was it really only two days since this latest crisis started? And now that they'd brought it up, Eric and I would definitely be discussing it; I didn't want him feeding off a fangbanger more than absolutely necessary, if at all!

Even Amelia seemed concerned as Claudine threw off any guise of casual inquiry and leaned forward intently. "But how much does he take when he does drink? And how much would you say he's had in total?"

"Ok, Claudine, what's this all about? It's obvious you think something's up with Eric having my blood, so what's the deal? I'm sorry if you think it's gross, but he's my bonded and I will give him my blood when he wants it." Besides the fact that it felt damn good on my end!

Claudine sighed. "It's simply that no vampire has ever fed off of someone with as strong a spark of Fae magic as you have. It is a cause for concern."

"Come on, Claudine! You're trying to tell me that no fairies have ever been drained by a vamp? Even I know better than that." I was indignant. I may be clueless about a lot of things in the Supe world, but I did know that vamps had always hunted fairies.

"No, I'm not saying that. I meant that no vampire has ever had the blood of a strong possessor of Fae magic given willingly, or been blood bonded to one. The magic involved in a willing exchange, not to mention that of the bond, is extremely worrisome. Who knows what this is doing to the Viking. He's already a terrifying opponent and if he assimilates more power or Fae potential…let's just say it wouldn't be good."

"Um, Claudine, did you miss the part where he's my bonded? He's not going to be rampaging around, hunting any Fae he can when he can get it from me willingly. Eric's not like that, anyway. And what do you mean, strong Fae magic? I'm only an eighth Fae and don't have any talents besides my telepathy and shields." I was annoyed for Eric's sake. Did she really imagine Eric going berserk from having my blood? Amelia was simply watching this display like a tennis match, looking from one speaker to the other.

"Sookie, dear, you have to understand that the biology of passing along Fae magic to the next generation, especially in those of mixed blood, is not set in stone. One child can inherit a much greater portion of magic than a sibling, as is the case with you and Jason. Your ability to control the magic, although the effect on your telepathy remains a wild card, will start increasing now that you are aware of it, which is why the possibility of the Viking having a constant supply of increasingly Fae blood worries the prince."

I could tell by the face she made that she wasn't supposed to let slip that it was my great-grandfather behind the sudden concern about Eric's feeding habits. "Well, you can just tell Grandfather that if he thinks there's a problem, he can come talk to me about it, but there's too much going on right now. He'll have to take a number." Honestly, why does no one come to talk to me about their issues but either relay them through a second party or just keep them from me?

"He's going to be very annoyed with me for letting it slip. I was supposed to gather information about your vampire's feeding proclivities without letting you know there was a potential for disaster."

What was with my loved ones refusing to give people their names? "It's _Eric_, Claudine, not that hard to say. And tell Niall to just button it. Eric and I are both adults and can do what we want behind closed doors." Which was true, the office door had been shut last night. Ok, squashing that memory in public. "I'm sorry if he's concerned, but really, there's nothing to worry about. Eric and I are together and we're, ah," I caught Amelia's frantic thought to _shut up!_ and changed direction, "still working out the details, but there's no cause for alarm."

Claudine looked disbelieving, but accepted my statement. Finishing her wine, she stood and embraced me again. "Ok, Sookie, I'll tell the prince, although I think I might phrase it a bit more diplomatically." She winked at me. I was glad this hadn't thrown our relationship out of whack. I really did love having her around. "Take care of yourself, little cousin. I'll see you soon. Bye, Amelia." With that, she popped out.

"So, what was up with the not telling her about the soulmate thing?" I was curious, since wouldn't that information have calmed Niall's fears a bit?

"Sookie, just think about it. Your great-grandfather, prince of the Fae, wanted to meet you for the first time right after you were first blood bonded, now he's actually trying to find information about you guys, in particular your blood sharing; do you honestly think telling him that you two _can't_ be broken apart is a good idea? I don't even want to think about what he might do if he finds out how tightly bound you two are if he's already worried about the closeness of your relationship."

Right, that was a good point. "Oh. I didn't think of it like that. Great, something else to worry about." I was starting to feel overwhelmed by everything happening at once.

"Hey, let's just relax and enjoy the day, 'kay? We've got plenty of wine left and we haven't talked in _ages_. For starters, you can tell me more about your extra-curricular activities with that hunk of man."

I threw my napkin at her, laughing.

Amelia stayed for a few more hours, chatting about completely inconsequential things in an effort to keep my mind off Claudine's visit. It was nice to catch up with her. I realised I'd missed her more than I thought. She had some seriously funny stories from Tray about shifting mishaps that had me in stitches while we soaked in the afternoon sun. Soon, though, she had to go since she was covering my dinner shift at work.

After seeing Amelia off, I washed up the dishes, thinking furiously all the while. Why was it such a big deal about Eric having my blood all of a sudden? Niall had known we were bonded before and hadn't said anything. I froze, realising he _had_ said something. He had offered to kill Eric for me to get me out of the blood bond. That was his stated reason, although now I wasn't so sure. Why hadn't he just come to me and told me about his concerns? We could have just resolved this by his seeing for himself that Eric wasn't picking up any special Fae traits. Or maybe he had been lulled by the fact that Eric and I had had so many ups and downs to our relationship that even I couldn't always keep track of if we were together or not.

The sun was almost down, with maybe ten more minutes before night fell. I suddenly had the driving urge to have Eric comfort me. It was practically a compulsion. My brain just kept chanting, _Eric, Eric, Eric_. I felt a bit dizzy as I was standing up, so I closed my eyes to clear my head. When I opened them, Eric was in front of me, lying on a bed in a dark room I'd never seen before. I pinched myself to make sure I was actually awake, but the scene didn't change.

_Oh boy. This can't be good._


	16. Corollary

A/N: Sorry about the delay, I just couldn't decide how to break this chapter up as it naturally flows into the next. Given that the uncut version was over 8000 words, I felt the need to split it. It'll just increase the anticipation of the next installment!

Disclaimer: Nope, still not mine.

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Corollary _n_ an immediate consequence or easily drawn conclusion; a natural result

EPOV

I rose from my daytime slumber to the sight of my lover's grim face.

"We've got a problem," she said, flatly. I stretched out to the bond, to see what troubled her. There was a humming annoyance, along with a tang of fear. I sat up and in doing so, caught a whiff of pure Fae.

"Sookie, why has a Fairy been in my house?"

"Aren't you more interested in how I managed to get into your dayroom, despite having no idea where it is and how to get in?"

She had a point. I was never fully alert upon first rising. "How _did_ you manage this, my lover?"

She sighed and came over to sit in my lap. I wrapped my arms around her and inhaled the delectable scent of sunshine, Fae and Sookie. Thank the gods I was becoming resistant to the scent of Fae from my exposure to Sookie and her delicious blood. I'm sure that's the only reason I didn't immediately throw her down and pound into her while satisfying my thirst.

"I had a visit from Claudine today," she said. Of course, her fairy godmother of a cousin would have been able to track her to my abode.

"And?" I asked while nuzzling her hair. Vampires are like human males in that they are incredibly aroused on waking, only it is ten times more intense for the male vampire. I held myself in check; I did want to hear her explanation for her appearance in my dayroom, which requires three passwords and access through the false back to the entry closet above.

"Apparently, Niall's worried about you having my blood on tap. According to Claudine, I have more Fae magic than they first thought and it should start developing soon. They're worried that because I let you drink from me willingly, plus the bond, that you're going to pick up Fae powers or something and become a serious threat to them. I thought it was completely insane when Claudine told me."

"Lover, you _have_ been tasting more Fae recently. I thought I had perhaps simply grown unaccustomed to your taste, but your blood has definitely become sweeter."

"Yeah, I'm not really doubting that anymore, considering the fact that I think I popped myself down here using magic." I could tell Sookie was unnerved by this development. "I was just thinking about needing to see you really badly, then I got dizzy and when I opened my eyes, I was here."

This was a fascinating development. I held my love tightly as I considered the ramifications of this. She would be able to get herself out of danger, once she was able to harness this ability, meaning I could be slightly more assured of her safety. When combined with the possibility of communicating mentally during times of danger, this would be a formidable advantage over those seeking to harm me through my bonded. I often despaired of how fragile she was as a human, but knew she did not want to become vampire, at least not yet. I hadn't given up hope for her to change her mind on that score.

"Eric! Need to breathe here!"

I realised I was holding her too tightly and released her slightly. "I'm sorry, my lover. I was just contemplating the advantage this ability will give us once you have learned to control it."

Sookie gave an eye-roll I could feel even with her facing away from me and a muttered, "Pragmatic ass."

"Yes, but remember, you love my ass, whether it be pragmatic or not."

That earned me a punch to the shoulder. I noticed the effects of my blood didn't seem to be wearing off as quickly as before, as that actually stung slightly. "I'm sorry, dear one, but this gives you a way to reach safety should we encounter danger and I cannot help but be overjoyed at that."

"Oh, I didn't think of it like that." She wiggled delightfully on my lap in order to kiss me sweetly. "Although I hope you don't think that I'm going to use it to get away from a problem and leave you behind to face it, buster."

An argument for another time if I ever heard one. "Right now, we should concentrate on why your great-grandfather might be so concerned over our sharing blood. He was aware when I introduced you that we were blood bonded and all that process entailed."

"I think he's more worried about your prolonged exposure to Fae blood, especially if I'm changing that much."

It wasn't difficult to detect the trace of anxiety in Sookie's voice, even without feeling it from the bond. "Lover, you yourself are not changing. You are still the you that played on the swings with your brother, the you that learned how to bake with your grandmother, the you I love. The only thing that is changing is that you are becoming more, not less, not different. You are simply completing the growing up process by growing into new abilities."

She sniffed and I panicked. I fucking hate it when she cries, even if her tears are for reasons other than sadness. "Lover, do not cry!"

"Silly man. Don't say such perfect things then! Didn't I warn you about that in the car last night? Ok, calm down, I've stopped. I was just so worried…"

"I know, but you will always be you, no matter what abilities you pick up. Now, do you think you could try to appear upstairs? We have to see how accurate this can be. Try for the bedroom," I leered at her.

"No way. We need to talk and if I end up in the bedroom, talking won't be on your agenda!"

I ignored the fact that we were, actually, in a bedroom as sadly she was correct. We didn't have time to play. I swore when this was over I was going to lock her in a room for at least a week.

"Ok, I'm going to try for the kitchen; I'm kinda hungry anyway. See you soon, I hope." She sounded apprehensive, and admittedly I was as well. Who knew if such gifts were innate or required training before proper use? Sookie closed her eyes and I could practically feel the concentration pouring off her when she suddenly disappeared with the popping noise of displaced air.

Racing out of the room, stopping only to disarm the locks, I tore up the stairs and through the hidden door, racing into the kitchen. She wasn't there. I panicked, knowing how such things could go wrong, when I felt her amusement through the bond. I opened it as far as possible and attempted to send my thoughts. I was sure this would count as an emergency and was proved correct as she answered me.

_Lover? Where are you? Are you alright?_

_Relax, I must have thought about Gran's kitchen from your comment about baking, cuz that's where I appeared. Scared Amelia and Tray half to death. Which is probably a good thing, considering what they were doing on Gran's table!_

I sighed in relief. _Stay there, I will come to you._

_Oh, no you won't. I'm gonna get this down tonight. Hang on a sec._

Her thoughts disappeared and in an instant, she was standing before me, grinning and eating an apple she had obviously acquired from her brief stop. "How cool is that? It's easy, once I just focus on where I'm trying to go instead of letting random thoughts into my head."

"Yes, my lover, I am proud of you for mastering it so well, however, I'm concerned about the timing of the appearance of this gift. Your cousin shows up to gather information about our sharing blood and lets slip the fact that you will be coming into your inheritance, only for a new ability to manifest itself immediately? I do not like coincidences and this one was rather too obvious. I have to wonder if Niall is paranoid enough to have pushed this ability on you to see what my reaction would be."

Sookie's glee faded. "I don't like thinking that my family, the only family I have left, really, could be so distrustful. I mean, I didn't expect the two of you to carve the Thanksgiving turkey together or anything, but why can't he just see that I'm happy with you and that everything's fine? He could trust me to know my own mind. I'm old enough to expect to be treated as an adult, even though I'm just a fraction of both your ages. Yeah, I know vamps and fairies don't get along, but you've both got a common denominator in me. It's not like you'd just randomly attack Niall or Claudine or even Claude, so why is he so suspicious of you?"

I was unsure at to how to answer that. While I wouldn't knowingly attack any member of the Brigant line without just provocation, if there was another war, I would certainly bear arms on the side of my race. That would be political, however, and the prince would fight equally as hard against the vampires. I could not see what Niall hoped to gain from attempting to ascertain my feeding pattern. Was he really that paranoid to have manipulated both his granddaughter and great-granddaughter into giving and receiving a Fae power, merely to study my reaction? Or did he expect that I would somehow become addicted to Fae blood and actively seek it out? Surely he knew that at my age, small sips from Sookie were all I needed to sustain myself.

"Actually, Eric, I wanted to talk to you about that. Can you really drink only from me? I know that Bill never could, but you don't need as much, right? So you don't really need to make some fangbanger's dream come true if I'm around?"

What in Hel? "Sookie, you just heard thoughts I was not projecting to you."

"No. No, you had to have been sending that. I can't hear vamps. Eric, you know I can't hear vamp minds! I don't want to hear vampires! Eric, tell me you sent that to me!" Sookie was panicking and hyperventilating.

"Breathe, my lover, breathe. It may simply be a residual aspect of the tracking spell. After all, you said you had heard my thoughts before, and now we have a much deeper connection."

"Yeah, but that was after I'd had vamp blood." She abruptly paled. "Eric, I forgot to tell you I heard your thoughts after I threw you out of my kitchen two nights ago. And I hadn't had your blood in awhile and we weren't really connected since the compulsion spell was active and the bond was suppressed! Oh, God, what if this is another adaptation of my abilities? Claudine said my telepathy could be affected. I'm so dead if I can hear vamps! I don't need this on top of everything else!"

I pulled my stressed bonded to me, shushing and soothing her through the bond. "Relax, dear one, we will test this later tonight. Besides, even if you are able to now hear us all, it is likely your shields will develop as well. You have little difficulty blocking human thoughts, correct? And no one will discover your secret, I swear it. Just as we are keeping our new connection hidden, we will be able to mask your abilities. All will be well, beloved, I promise you." She slowly calmed, although maintained her fierce grip on me. Of course, I neglected to mention just how much of a double-edged sword such an ability would be; it would provide us a distinct advantage, especially over those already coveting Sookie's gifts, but would surely earn us both a quick death if ever discovered.

"Ok, I'm better. I'm sorry, I just got so scared there. I've always been terrified someone would accuse me of being able to read vampires and just decide it wasn't worth it to find out the truth." She shuddered. How long had she been harbouring this fear? She continued, almost too low for even my senses to hear, "Does it hurt? Being drained?"

Oh, _t__í__var yfir_, what a question. How in Hel was I supposed to answer that? "Dear one, you will never find out, unless you decide to become vampire, in which case, I can assure you it will be an entirely pleasurable experience. I know you have no wish to become one of us, but my lover, I cannot say that I will ever give up hope that one day, you will decide to be with me for eternity. It will be entirely up to you. No one else will ever lay a hand, let alone a fang, on you, you can be assured."

Sookie seemed to be concentrating very hard, before slowly saying, "I'm not going to rule it out, but, and this is only a maybe, it wouldn't be for awhile yet. I've been thinking about how I couldn't take it if you were gone and kinda realized that it's not fair to make you go through the same thing as I get old and die in front of you. But, Eric, I'm not promising anything more than I'll think about it and keep asking questions. I want to know everything there is to know about the change and being a vamp first."

If my heart beat, it surely would have been swelling out of my chest with her words. Having my beloved with me until the end of time was something I had hardly dared think about, knowing her distaste for the idea. I'll admit, her words soothed a hurt I had been unaware was festering. How could I bear watching her fade away in front of me when I carried the solution?

Then my ever-inquisitive bonded had to ask the one question I had absolutely no desire to answer. Ever. "So, why is Niall likely to be worried about you? What's the bad blood between you that would make him trick Claudine into speeding up one of my gifts, if we're going with that theory?" She turned to look me in the eye, although for once in my long existence, I found it difficult to do so.

"Eric, this is something that involves me. I know you're a private person, but, honey, this is really something I should know about. My great-grandfather and my lover are sneaking around politely hating each other and I'm stuck here in the middle being totally clueless. I really hate that, when you both treat me like a child and don't tell me anything!" Sookie was getting worked up, but I did not want to tell her the story for fear of her reaction.

She took my face between her hands and looked straight in my eyes. Her tone was gentle, as she said, "Baby, I'm yours. No matter what. I know you've done awful things in the past and I know Niall's done the same. I'm always going to be on your side, even against my great-grandfather. They say you can't choose your family, which is true; just look at Jason. But, honey, I chose to love you and that's not going to change. Niall may be family, but I'm not bonded to him in soul or by blood and what do I really know about him? I mean, sure, I love him as family, maybe not as much as Claudine and a little more than Claude, but I'll choose you every time."

I must admit that her words eased my mind. I know how valuable family is to my poor, lonely lover and I hadn't wanted to put it to the test who she would choose, especially given how recent was our reconciliation. "Thank you, beloved. That means a great deal to me." I rewarded her with a deep kiss, imbued with as much raw emotion as I was capable of possessing.

"Unfortunately, I'm expecting a call from the king in regard to the events that risked two of his assets." I saw her unhappy expression at the term. "I know, lover, but that is how Felipe regards both of us. It is not simply a human degradation. I propose we go to Fangtasia, as it will be easier to assess the damage to provide Felipe an estimate, and you will have the opportunity to see if you can read all vampires, or only me."

"Ok, but you're not getting out of telling me what's up with you and Niall."

"Of course not. It is not, however, a story for public ears, so it will have to wait until we return. Is that acceptable?" I knew I was being short with her, but that was not a story I looked on with fondness.

"That's fine, Eric. I'm going to go shower so I don't incite Pam into draining me, then let's just get to the bar, ok?" She only seemed slightly upset, which was a small consolation. She disappeared upstairs, while I stayed in the kitchen. I heated a True Blood, disgusted by the vile substance, but knowing I wouldn't be getting any of Sookie for the time being.

At least Sookie allowed me to help her out of the Corvette, although the short ride had been spent in silence. She squeezed my hand lightly as we entered through the employee door, and I knew that I had been forgiven. My mood, however, had not improved. Pam greeted us at the door to my office.

"Sookie! You've survived another day! And without running away from Eric. At this rate, I'll be planning a bridal shower in less than a month!" Pamela was in fey spirits this evening, I was not happy to see.

"Hafið it illan vanda upp tekit," I snarled at my child. "Fara þit!" Pamela knew exactly what I was saying, the language of my time of life being my favourite with which to reprimand.

I was surprised to feel a twinge of arousal come across the bond. My head whipped around and found Sookie looking at me with wide eyes. Her breath was coming fast and I could hear her elevated pulse. Pam was snickering, albeit quietly. I resolved to be much firmer with my child, especially in regard to her behaviour around Sookie, but first, I had to investigate this strange occurrence.

"Sookie? Are you alright?" I had to stop a sly smirk from spreading across my face.

"Huh? Oh, I'm fine. Let's just go on in so you don't miss the king's call." She tried to brave it out, but I was on to her.

"After you, minn sváss." Oh, yes, this was going to be fun. I felt her desire jump again with my ancient words.

"Eric!" She hissed. "You know full well what you're doing, don't you? Stop it! And you said you'd keep that term to ourselves!"

I stared at her. "You understood that?"

She smiled, smugness evident, "I picked it up from your head."

I began to contemplate the benefits of this when the phone rang. Shooting a quelling look at my irrepressible child, I placed myself in my chair to remind myself of my position before picking up the handset. Some days, I cursed technology and longed for the old days when a lack of immediate communication awarded me more autonomy.

"Northman."

"Ah, Eric. You have been having some problems, Sandy informs me? Both your business and your lovely bonded have been targets of attacks in the past few days, as I understand."

"Yes, Fangtasia was attacked by a bomb from the Fellowship of the Sun and Miss Stackhouse was captured on the same night."

"My, you are having a string of bad luck. What was the estimate for how long your establishment will be closed?"

I motioned to Pam to hand me the figures from the contractors. "It seems we will be able to open within two weeks, as the majority of the building was undamaged, however the entrance will need to be completely rebuilt."

"Hm, two weeks is not as bad as it could have been. Your profits should not suffer for being closed for that length of time and you will surely attract more customers with a reopening. I see no reason to reduce the kingdom's percentage of your area's income." Bastard. He knew that meant I would have to personally account for any discrepancies, as I would not force those under me to make up the difference. He continued, "Now, as to why you were targeted, has that been determined as of yet? Was it in conjunction with the attack on your little telepath? How is Miss Stackhouse, recovering well, I hope? I do not need to remind you of the terms of our recent agreement, do I?" Fucking bastard. As if I could forget.

"Miss Stackhouse is thoroughly recovered. I was able to determine her location before any damage was done." Sookie and Pam both snorted at this misleading statement. I glared at both of my women. My child was going to be a negative impact on my lover's behaviour, I could see. "As to the motive of the attack, I must inform you that Bill Compton, working under orders of Russell Edgington of Mississippi, prompted the Fellowship's attack in an effort to drive Miss Stackhouse to find another location, preferably Mississippi. I can report that his efforts failed, as my bonded will be remaining in my area, under my protection." I thought I should remind the smug bastard who Sookie belonged to, and then began to hope Sookie hadn't read that particular thought. "Compton confessed to being coerced by Russell over some past favour and he is restrained and in my custody. I will, however, defer final punishment to you." A little ass-kissing never hurt, even if Pam was making a sour face and Sookie was snickering to herself. _Tívarinn mik forða!_

de Castro seemed to be considering, then said, "Well, Northman, your record and reputation allow me to overlook the fact that you had a traitor in your midst and did not uncover him until it was too late. Unfortunately, until I can determine if the attack was Compton's own idea or if Russell promoted such a course of action, there may be need for him as a witness. I do not suppose you were able to ascertain such a fact?"

"Actually, Compton was quite forthcoming when faced with Miss Stackhouse after the event. His statements lead me to believe that he acted under his own initiative when he was unable to seduce her into joining him in Mississippi."

It was soothing to my ego hear Felipe laugh at this, "The fool believed he could seduce your bonded away from you? He had already lost her once and it surely would be no competition between the two of you. I was going to impose a lighter sentence by virtue of the income his database brings, however, I see he needs to learn a few lessons. Until I have…discussed…this with my counterpart in Mississippi, I give you leave to educate him. Do what you will, although do keep him in existence until I deem it otherwise."

"Thank you, my king. I will do so." I was already planning my first 'instruction'.

"Oh, and Northman, do give my regards to the enchanting Miss Stackhouse. I am so pleased to hear of her swift recovery and send good wishes for her future health. May she have long to hone her talent." With that unsubtle threat, he hung up. I was practically gritting my teeth in irritation.

"Well? What did our good king have to say? What's the verdict on the idiot in the basement?" Pam was as inquisitive as ever.

"Compton is mine to do with as I please, short of final death. Felipe wishes to establish the spread of Russell's influence before making any permanent decisions." Oh, I was going to enjoy this. I eyed Sookie speculatively. Perhaps I could order Pam out and take my lover on my desk. That would satisfy both my arousal at finally being allowed to torture Compton and my desire to avoid our previous conversation.

Sookie must have picked up on either my thoughts or my mood, as she exclaimed, "Oh, no! You're not coming near me! I'm sure something else crazy would happen if something gets started in here. I think your office is cursed. I'm always either bleeding or having majorly mentally unbalancing things happening in here."

Pam jumped in, for once on task. "Master, what else did the king say?"

"We have to do very well in reopening the bar. Felipe is not reducing his cut of our profits, so we will need to ensure the builders are working at full capacity." My child smiled at the thought of harassing Were builders into working faster. Such a good child, I have. "I am unpleased by Felipe's enquiries into Sookie's health. After signing over any right to her talents, he shows an unhealthy amount of interest and practically ordered me to consider turning her." I looked at my lover as I said it, changing the directive to a more fluid one. I knew de Castro had in fact ordered me, albeit indirectly, to turn Sookie. Once she was vampire, she would be at his disposal once again, rendering the old waiver of her services void. Sly bastard.

"Now, Sookie, as to our other purpose for being here. Have you had any success?" She knew I was asking if she could hear Pam, or anyone else in the building.

She had a stunned look on her face. "It's like, I can, but only if I'm concentrating. It feels like my shields are on constantly and the only way I can hear is if I think about it! It's still not very clear. The Weres are coming in better, but the vamps are real fuzzy. I can only get snippets if I'm focussed on a specific thought pattern. I can definitely live with this!"

Pam stared in shock at my bonded. "You can hear us now? How did this happen? And when?"

I stepped in for Sookie, stating, "Sookie's Fae cousin visited today in an attempt to discover how much of her blood I take on a regular basis. I suspect Niall to have implanted a way to accelerate Sookie's Fae talents for her cousin to pass on, as her telepathy and shields seem to have increased, and she can now transport herself from one location to another."

"Master, if the prince is getting involved…this is not a good situation." I knew Pam was only worried about Niall's capacity for both underhanded vengeance and holding a grudge, but her comment was going to cost me as Sookie spoke up.

"Ok, that's it! Eric, we're going home and you are telling me the whole story!" Sookie was fuming and I decided to give in, knowing it would only get worse. A family trait it seemed.

"Very well, lover, after you." I nodded at Pam, passing authority over the construction crew to her.

"Go on, wouldn't want to keep the wife waiting!"

I snarled as my child laughed to herself. I really had been far too lenient with her recently.

At least I managed to have the last word. "And to think, I was going to allow you to play with Compton tonight. Ah, well, he can wait on my leisure instead." I smirked as she realised what I had said while I exited.

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Old Norse Translations: *Gods above * You have picked up a bad habit. Behave yourself! *My beloved *Gods save me!


	17. Narration

A/N: Deviating from cannon here, with my own version of Eric's turning. I adore thinking of poor, young Eric as so much more, well, innocent and clueless. And I completely indulged my fascination with ancient cultures, so it's heavy on both the Norse mythology and Old Norse. What can I say; I'm a language geek. And, for tracystenning, translations are bracketed within the text. Oh, and there's more sappy romance than one could possibly stomach- I really shouldn't read Jane Austen while attempting to write, especially as it skews the ESN.

Disclaimer: I only wish I owned it.

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Narration _n_ the recounting of an event or series of events; the act of telling a story

EPOV

I was becoming accustomed to silent car rides. I attempted to soothe Sookie's raw emotions through the bond and was abruptly slapped with a pulse of irritation. Fine, we could both be irritable. It was not until we were inside my house that Sookie finally let loose.

"Jeez, Eric, you act like its some big secret, but obviously Pam knows all about it. Does the whole bar know too and you just don't want to tell me? For crying out loud! I thought we were past all this secret vamp shit! Or is this more of your ridiculous 'let's protect Sookie and wrap her up in cotton wool' bull? I'm really not happy with you right now!" she snapped out as we stood in the entryway.

She was being entirely irrational. I had wondered how long our new felicity would last and I suppose I had just learned the answer. I held my tongue, certain that I would only manage to heighten her already rising temper. I was disquieted enough in the face of our pending conversation and I knew I would regret anything I said at that moment.

Sookie glanced at me, taking in my rigid posture and sighed. "I know you would only keep things from me for my own good and this is something you really don't want to share. I'm just a little freaked out by everything. I mean, two days ago, I hated everything to do with you, was fed up with my friends and thought the bond was your way of controlling me when I would feel happy to be around you. Then your bar gets bombed, my hands were torn to shreds, Amelia and Pam rip into me about how selfish and horrible I am and after thinking I've lost you forever after finally realizing I love you, I get kidnapped thanks to my clingy ex! To top it all off, we're suddenly 'soulmates' and have this decidedly scary connection and I'm beginning to get Fairy powers! Not to mention the fact I was under a spell for who knows how long and we still don't know who did it! How much more can I take, Eric?! This isn't fair!" Sookie was nearly shrieking and the bond was zinging with anxiety and vehement distress.

"Sookie, you must calm down! You will only make yourself ill if you continue to panic." I closed the distance between us to rub her back, attempting to regulate her breathing. I did my best to hide the pain that I felt when she dismissed our bond and our shared souls, knowing she was simply overwrought. I was learning to trust the bond, rather than her words, something Sookie still did not.

She gulped in air, racing heart slowing along with her breath. "I'm sorry, baby, I guess I just kept putting off thinking about everything and it hit me hard." I felt her prod the bond, as well as my mind, which was an uncomfortable feeling. "Oh, honey, I didn't mean it! I love that we're part of each other! Really, I'm so grateful that I know I've got a bit of you tucked in my soul, but you've got to admit that all of this has happened really fast. I just need to feel like I can breathe easy for a bit with no drama and get used to all of this."

"I promise you, once the perpetrator is dealt with, you and I will take some time to ourselves and discuss where to go from here." I pulled my bonded into my arms, nuzzling against her sweet-smelling hair. It felt like ages since I'd had her, but I sincerely doubted she'd appreciate my putting off our imminent discussion any longer.

Sookie proved me correct as she leaned back to look at me, saying, "Ok, I think we need to have story time now. I know you don't want to tell me, but I promise, I won't judge you. I'm yours; nothing can change that."

Saying nothing, I took her by the hand and led her to the living room and the couch. We may as well be comfortable during my recitation. Once we were settled, I pulled her into my arms, not willing to watch her reaction but needing to feel her alive and close to me.

I was silent for a moment, gathering my thoughts, as I stroked the palm of her hand.

"Vampires and the Fae have never coexisted peacefully. Even in these times, when tensions are mostly ameliorated by the distance we keep from each other, there is still much distrust. Over time, an infraction by one group or the other has led to violent conflict, causing much loss on both sides. In my many years, I have witnessed and participated in many battles against the Fae, claiming my share of Fairy warriors. I was turned, in fact, due to my prowess in battle in order serve my Maker for just such a conflict. As I had already been accustomed to a life of warfare, since I lived in unsettled times even compared to your era, I was quick to distinguish myself as a formidable opponent, while yet a newly made vampire. I believe that is when I first gained Niall's attention, although the particular incident that incited his wrath was not to occur until later.

I had been released from my Maker's service not long after that first contact with the Fae. I was barely old enough to be considered safe to be left on my own, as during those days, makers kept their children close long after the initial bloodlust was controllable, imparting methods of concealment so as not to expose our existence. My Maker had been more concerned with his conflict with the Fae and had merely glossed over essential knowledge before thrusting me out to make my own way. At first, I journeyed back to the North, finding it both easier to fit in among those who had been my people and soothing to the fading remnants of my humanity. I found a nest willing to take me in, although as both the youngest and the newest member, I was the low man in rank. I was often the target of harassment or ordered to do demeaning tasks. As you can imagine, that did not sit well with me, as I had a warrior's temperament and remained somewhat hot-headed, given that I was so young. I rebelled by acting contrary to the rules imposed by the elder members of the nest, in taking risks during feeding, such as glamouring my dinner in crowded places, or taking more than I needed in one night. I also found ways to strike back at those who harassed me the most, often by stealing their intended meal out from under their noses, as even then, my appearance and glamour were quite the potent combination, even among those who had shared my physical characteristics. I imagine I was quite annoying to my older nestmates, yet they rarely reprimanded my occasional outbursts, no doubt hoping I would end up staked one night. One in particular, however, called Anvindr, finally took exception to my enjoying his selected entertainment one too many times.

I was surprised to be called to Anvindr's side one evening and even more so when he said he wished my company while on the hunt. He told me he had spotted a particularly beautiful maiden who appeared untasted by any of our nest and he thought that I might enjoy her. One of the cardinal rules of our nest, that even I refused to break, was to never drain a meal completely. It was our way of remaining in one place for a long period of time, especially as the nearby towns we frequented were not large. By glamouring and healing the bite marks and other intrusions, we could…enjoy…the same human multiple times with no one in town being the wiser to our presence. After a time, however, it was difficult to discover an attractive human who had not been taken at least once. Fresh blood was a highly fought over honour and I was elated to have been allowed to sample such a delicacy.

Anvindr led me to one of the smaller towns in our feeding range. I caught an interesting scent in the air, sweet and compelling, and as Anvindr noticed my distraction, he merely smiled and told me to follow him to the town hall, where a celebration of some sort was taking place. We managed to enter and mingled with the crowd. Ordinarily I would have struggled against being exposed to so much humanity, but that scent had caught my attention and I was focussed on the hunt. Anvindr directed my attention to the corner, where the most captivatingly beautiful woman I had ever seen stood, slightly separated from the rest of the throng. Tall, yet delicate, with elegant features and flashing dark eyes, I was captivated and knew her to be the source of that mouth-watering scent. Anvindr said, 'Go! She is yours for the evening. Take her outside and feast on that luscious elixir running through her veins.' I did not need to be told twice; in an instant I had engaged her in conversation, enough for me to glamour her and lead her out of the crowded hall and down the deserted streets to a secluded alleyway. I began to feed, intending on gently taking my pleasure as well as she was a creature above the norm and unworthy of mistreatment, yet I became intoxicated by her blood, which tasted more powerful than any I had ever had before. I was mesmerized and unable to think straight. I became quite violent, ripping her garments and feeding and fucking voraciously. It seemed I could not get enough and before I knew what had happened, I had broken the principal rule of our nest and completely drained her. I was frozen in shock, unsure what had happened, yet certain that I had been set up by Anvindr in revenge for my previous antagonism. I could not turn to my nestmates as Anvindr commanded their respect and would surely turn them against me. I was left with little choice but to flee, leaving the body behind in my haste to depart. For days, it was all I could think of, as I could not understand why I had acted so rashly or what had so bewitched me."

I paused in my recounting, gathering myself to speak the damning words that could turn Sookie from me, no matter her earlier protestations. "Her name should have given it away, as Álfdís means 'elf princess'. She was Niall's half-human daughter."

As I feared, Sookie went rigid in shock. I released her in preparation of her flight, knowing she would not want to stay in the arms of the murderer of her kin. I was surprised, therefore, to feel a wave of compassion and love wash over me.

"Oh Eric, that's why you didn't want to tell me? Because you were tricked into draining my great-aunt how many centuries ago? Honey, it wasn't your fault! I hope that bastard of a nestmate got what was coming to him though! Or maybe he's still around and I can go give him a piece of my mind!"

All I could do was stare in shock at the magnificent creature in my arms. "Do you mean that, Sookie? You do not hold me accountable for the murder of a member of your family?" As out of character as it was, I was desperate for her exoneration.

"Baby, it wasn't your fault and I couldn't hold it against you for going with your instincts in a situation where you had no idea what was going on!" She paused, then continued, "Why didn't you recognize the Fae blood if you'd fought them before?"

I was so proud of my clever lover. "My Maker placed a geas on his children forbidding the tasting of our opponents. I knew the scent of full Fae blood, but had never tasted it. Mixed with her humanity, Álfdís' scent was altered just enough that my young senses could not make the connection. It was not until Niall discovered me a few months later that I learned the truth. He had discovered his daughter's body and immediately turned to my former nest in search of answers. Anvindr was only too happy to place the blame on my shoulders, I am sure. I had fled to the south, mingling with the Germans in a hope to blend in. I could at least make passable conversation, given the ties between languages, and my physical attributes were not as abnormal as they would have been, had I continued south. I do not know if it was a consequence of drinking Álfdís' blood, but I felt more human than I had since my turning, with emotions and memories of my life overwhelming me at every turn. I was plagued with guilt and wept for the loss of my family, of whom I had not even spared a passing thought before then, and for the circumstances of my existence. I was terrified of becoming involved with other vampires again and managed to eke out a solitary existence. You will not believe it, but I refused to feed from women for weeks after the incident, taking care to select only those who were guilty of the same crime as I and feeding on the would-be rapists and murderers, when I could actually bring myself to feed at all. Needless to say, I remained celibate as well. I drifted aimlessly, not wanting to attract the notice of anyone in the supernatural community. Thus was my pattern for four months until one night, as I half-heartedly prepared to hunt, a terrible light appeared in the clearing where I had gone to ground. Niall appeared, awful in his rage, and I could sense his power. Before I had a chance to flee, I was pinned to the nearest tree by invisible bonds.

'Vampire! Know that I am Niall Brigant, prince of the Fae and father to the girl you callously murdered in the northern lands,' he bellowed.

I was too overwhelmed to speak.

Niall suddenly seemed to recognize me. 'You are the one they called Fárbjóðr [destroyer], the berserker who slaughtered my people less than a century ago! It seems I have come to collect two blood debts from you.'

He advanced, gathering power to him as a cloak. I could tell my end was near and was determined to die my final death in a manner befitting the son of my father. Just as I felt the first touches of power, another flash of light lit the clearing.

A most beautiful woman stood between the prince and me. I was filled with a sense of peace and knew her to be a goddess, although I was at a loss as to why she should step in to preserve my existence when I felt I deserved whatever punishment Niall thought warranted.

'Hold, prince of the Fae. My mistress has seen that this one's wyrd, although he is of the undead, will have a great impact on the distant future. He must continue to add to it, therefore you cannot have him.'

I knew then that my saviour must be Hlín, handmaiden to Frigg, who can see the future. Hlín is tasked with protecting those Frigg sees in her visions. After her intercession, I pledged myself to Hlín, and in turn Frigg.

Niall was understandably upset at this interference in what he saw as justified vengeance, but the goddess stood firm, arguing that it was necessary for me to live and add to my wyrd in order for some event to come about. Frigg is never one to describe her visions, so the prince's demands for explication were met with refusal. All Hlín would say was that our paths would be bound together.

Niall demanded instead that I owe him for the lives I had taken. My Lady gently refused what would essentially be an order of slavery for me, stating that the Fae I killed in battle were accepted casualties of war and no debt was owed. Instead, she agreed that the death of Álfdís warranted a debt until such time as my wyrd caught up to whatever event Frigg had foreseen. She told Niall that he would know when the debt was paid and warned him that interference after that time would not be tolerated. He was decidedly unhappy, but even a prince of the Fae cannot stand against the Æsir. He reluctantly released me, informing me that he would call on me at any time to demand my services. Bowing to My Lady, he disappeared.

I was still stunned by the events, especially as my future had been decided by two powerful beings without my input. Falling to my knees in veneration, I humbly asked Hlín what was expected of me, knowing I must give something for the protection of the gods.

Hlín turned to me and said, 'Þér mun ek þó segja, en þú munt hlýða. Hlýð þú boði mínu! Ekki ertu svá sterkr sem þér hœfir. [I will tell you now, and you shall listen. Follow my advice! You are not as strong as you should be.] My mistress bids you take care, as your path will be a long and arduous one. Regain your strength and become assured of yourself in the existence that is before you. You are vampire; embrace it! You cannot maintain your human traits, at least at this time, for they will be a detriment to your survival. Fight when necessary, but learn to outwit your opponents, as that will serve you well. Follow your wyrd and you shall achieve that which you do not even realise you long for. My mistress desires you to know that she, and therefore I, will be keeping watch over you and asks only that in return, you remember the teachings of your time of life and carry them through the ages, and that when the time comes, do not hesitate to open your heart.'

With that, she was gone and I was alone and disconcerted by the future that suddenly stretched before me. I remained kneeling, giving thanks to my patronesses, then rose, determined to fulfil what was requested of me. I rejected my regained human nature and fully accepted my vampiric one. Niall did call upon me at certain intervals, tasking me with various errands and activities, some unpleasant, some not, although he never let me forget the reason for which I served. Even as I embraced a lack of human emotions, that death weighed heavily on my mind and the prince took every opportunity to remind me of his daughter whenever he gave me a new request, the most recent of which was introducing him to his beautiful and gentle telepathic great-granddaughter. And that, minn sváss, is the history of my interaction with Niall."

I ceased talking and silence descended, although it was not uncomfortable. My riled nerves were alleviated by Sookie's reassuring presence and the complete acceptance I felt through the bond.

My lover soon asked, "What's a weird?"

"Wyrd, or ørlög as it was known in my land, is the combination of the events of the past that influence decisions and actions we make in the present. Not quite fate, as some modern pagans take it, but more along the lines of the past acting upon us in a specific direction, given those previous experiences and reactions."

"Ok, so what do you think that event that Frigg saw for you could be? I mean, Hlín said that Niall would know when time was up, but how are you going to know?"

"Beloved, I believe that the event was our bonding, or more specifically, our mutual acceptance of our bond. Frigg is also one of the goddesses who are concerned with love and marriage and it would suit her to arrange for our relationship to occur. It is my belief that she foresaw the possibility of you, and therefore us, if the path of wyrd followed the same route. It could not be coincidence that my bonded and the woman who awoke my more human emotions is also the great-granddaughter of the one to whom I owed a blood debt. I simply do not see how this will play out, given Niall's predisposition to hate me, along with his need to control all aspects of his relations' lives. I am simply grateful that my patronesses allowed me to survive that night in order to follow my wyrd to you." I was overcome with the need to bury myself within Sookie and assure myself that she wasn't simply a dream, that she was really with me and accepted the one event in my long existence that I truly regretted. I rolled over, placing my lover beneath me and attacked her mouth. She was as aroused as I was and, although loathe to break our fused mouths, clothes were soon flying.

Things were heating up as I sucked and nipped at Sookie's delectable breasts. I gently bit her plump mound and greedily suckled her delicious blood. I loved her impassioned response, thrusting her bountiful breast into my mouth and grabbing my head to hold me to her.

"Eric! Oh, yes!" I pulled my mouth away, laving the punctures with my tongue. She moaned in disappointment, and then huskily asked, "Eric, can I have your blood? I want to have you inside of me in all possible ways." Oh, how I adore this woman! I lay next to her and prepared to bite my wrist to give to her.

_Skynja þykkisk ek hvat er hann vill! __[__I think I know what he wants!]_I shot upright.

Sookie looked dazed as she responded to my unspoken and un-translated thought. "Umm, ok, then. What does he want?"

"Niall is most likely not as much worried about my gaining Fae traits, although I'm sure he has considered it, but anxious if you gain vampire traits from merely consuming my blood, or if you are to be turned, of what a Fae/telepath/vampire cross would be capable. With the advent of Fae powers, taking on vampiric characteristics as well would cause you to be an unknown force. Not only that, but if you were turned, he relinquishes any possible influence he could have on your lifestyle, as you would be bound to your Maker, rather than family."

"Then why would he give me more Fae powers, if you don't think that was natural like Claudine said? Maybe I should just call him and we can all discuss this. I did tell Claudine to have him talk to me before he jumped to conclusions." My poor beloved was unhappy at the thought that her kin could be so devious. Unmindful of her unclothed state, she sat up. I was understandably distracted at the sinfully decadent picture in front of me. With her hair loose and wild, framing a flushed face with brilliantly kiss-swollen lips and just brushing the top of her bountiful breasts, she looked every inch a nymph, destined to make men mad with desire. I regained my senses as, switching emotions abruptly, she continued, thoughtfully, "Then again, now that I know why you two can't stand each other, maybe he wants me to get to be so Fae that you can't be around me safely. He'd have to know how much the death of Álfdís still affected you, especially since he kept rubbing it in, the big jerk, so maybe he thought you'd back away if you thought you might hurt me. Ah! I'm tired of everyone messing with my life! I just want to be able to go to work and come home to you at night! Why is that too much to ask?!" She buried her head in my chest, clinging tightly to me.

"I don't know, minn sváss. I do not think that Niall would purposely hurt you, however much he dislikes me."

"Doesn't he get it that being without you would hurt me? And I'm not just talking about the bond. Eric, I don't ever want you to leave me. Or me to leave you. As soon as I realised I loved you, I made up my mind to be in this relationship with all of my being. Taking you away from me makes me less than whole and my dear great-grandfather needs to see that. It's simple; I love you, with all that I am and nothing will change that, not your past or what anybody says. Eric, I want a future with you and no one's going to stand in the way of that!" Sookie was sobbing by the end of her speech.

By the gods, how did this miraculous woman come to be mine? Freely crying blood tears, I kissed her desperately. "Beloved, beloved," I murmured, raining kisses all over her face, lingering on her succulent mouth. "Dear one, you cannot know how much joy it gives me to know that you would choose us, what we have, over the only family you have left. I bless Frigg and Hlín for guiding me on the course that allowed me to be here, in this moment with you in my arms. As to this situation, I feel strongly that we must both allow our wyrds to guide us. Whatever comes to pass, so be it, but following that path led me to you, the greatest joy I have ever known, and I am inclined to keep to it." I didn't know if it was recounting the story, Sookie's influence or simply that I was becoming a hopeless sap, but at that moment, I couldn't care less how un-vampiric I was acting. I wanted to show Sookie my relief at her acceptance of my greatest regret, my deep elation at the prospect of a future at her side, my devotion to her happiness, and above all, my endless desire for her.

Sookie seemed to be of similar mind. Between increasingly frantic kisses, she said, "Eric, I need you. I need to feel you and know that we're going to be ok."

How could I resist the enchantress cradled in my arms? I kissed her deeply, slowly, tenderly, giving her tears time to dry. It took very little for our passions to rise again, quite literally in my case. The emotional storm only made our joining the sweeter, as it became more of a dedication to the other. Given that we were both naked, it was the work of a moment to lay her down, kissing a trail from her lips down her delicate neck. I laved at her delightfully dusky pink nipples, feeling them harden under my tongue. I continued kissing my way down her abdomen, paying special attention to the curve of her hipbone, causing her to buck upwards with a moan. Nipping my way down one thigh, then the other, I finally reached my objective. I nuzzled her downy curls, inhaling her musky scent with relish. She was already glistening and I eagerly darted my tongue into her cleft, groaning at the taste of her delectable nectar. I pushed one finger into her while tapping her clitoris with my tongue, abruptly adding another finger as Sookie began to pant and thrust against my mouth. Continuing the motion of my fingers in her core, I lapped at the delicious juices flowing quite freely. Switching to manipulate her clitoris with my fingers, I plunged my tongue inside her, anxious to drink down every last drop of her essence. Sookie was moaning, an extraordinarily erotic sound, and I had to thrust my hips against the arm of the couch to obtain some relief.

"Come inside me, baby. I have to feel you!"

In a flash, I leapt to cover her, but it seemed Sookie had anticipated me, as she eluded my grasp, only to straddle me as I lay prone, having twisted to grab her as she slid off the couch.

Teasingly, she ran her hands down her exquisite curves, dipping the fingers of one into her hot, wet core. I was mesmerized by her wanton expression as she rubbed herself while pinching and pulling on her nipples with her other hand. Her hips began to slowly rotate, with the outermost part of her moist heat circling the head of my cock, and I felt her desire drip down my length.

"Sookie!" I cried, utterly unable to hold back the whine in my voice.

She stopped teasing, and looking me straight in the eye, said, "Promise me, Eric. Promise me that we'll always be together!"

"I promise you, no one will come between us." She sank down, partially sheathing me in her molten centre.

"Promise me we'll always have each other to rely on!" she demanded.

"I promise!" She took me deeper inside her and I had to fight to control the urge to thrust the rest of the way.

"Promise me that we'll always be able to come together like this! That we can always just be ourselves and have it be enough!"

"I promise! I swear it, beloved!" With that, she sank all the way down and I was instantly thrown into sheer bliss. I closed my eyes and threw my head back as my hips instinctively thrust against her. A primal moan escaped my lips, the likes of which I had never issued.

"Look at me, baby!" my sweet mistress commanded.

Raising my head, I nearly came from the sight of Sookie undulating on top of me, grinding my cock deep into her centre. Wanting to recover some of the responsibility in pleasuring her, I sat up, the movement driving my length to the entrance to her womb. I pulled her to me as we continued to grind into each other.

"Lover, will you drink from me?"

"Oh, yes! Please!"

I pulled out of her, ignoring the impatient protest, and flipped her around, so her back was to my chest. I lowered her back onto my hungry cock, thrusting hard. Sensing we were both nearing our peak, I pulled her hair to the side in preparation. I bit my wrist and offered it to her as I settled my mouth against her neck. Sookie eagerly sealed her mouth over the wound and as she began to suck, I bit into the curve of her neck, gulping her blood although I'd already tasted her that night.

Instantaneously, we were submerged in the paradise that came from the bond being wholly opened. It was comforting, yet sensual, with just a tinge of illicit thrill and I couldn't get enough of either it or my beautiful lover. Continuing to thrust into her, I snaked my unoccupied hand around to pinch her swollen bud, causing Sookie to come first, her walls clenching around my length, pulling my release from me.

We stayed joined together and I pressed gentle kisses into Sookie's hair. I marvelled again at the contentment I felt simply by holding her close and was even more certain that Frigg had foreseen our bonding and spared me that long-ago night so I could be here, now, to protect this precious treasure. My only concern was Niall's reaction. I hoped he would heed Hlín's warning about not interferring, although I feared it was already too late for that. All I asked was that Sookie be spared any of the repercussions.

I was shaken from my musings as Sookie stifled a yawn and settled closer to me. I smiled tenderly, knowing my bonded was exhausted in the most pleasant way as I was feeling sated as well. Rising, I picked her up and carried her up the stairs. After cleaning up a very languid Sookie, I made sure she was comfortable in bed. She mumbled something I interpreted as "I love you" as I tucked her in. She was asleep before I left the room.

I, on the other hand, had business to take care of, so I called Pam, and was pleasantly surprised at the progress being made on the reconstruction. Thanks to Pam's 'encouragement', it seemed we would be able to reopen earlier than anticipated, which would reduce, if not negate, any of my personal funds going towards de Castro's fucking percentage. Unfortunately, I had to address my child's recent behaviour and after thoroughly reprimanding her, as well as placing her on door duty, which I knew she hated, for a solid month, I explained in detail how she was to treat and act around my bonded from that point onward. I didn't want any of her attempts to tease me to mortify Sookie in public, since my lover was still reticent about many aspects of sex considered second nature to vampires. One has to hand it to Pam; she knew she had erred and was appropriately contrite. I could tell she was genuinely upset at the thought of making Sookie uncomfortable, which pleased me, so I relented slightly and allowed her to purchase certain 'training' items for my first lesson with Compton. I wanted to prolong his anticipation by leaving him alone at least another night, but at least it gave my child pleasure to devise a suitable 'curriculum'. Despite her propensity for teasing at inappropriate moments and her occasional lack of respect, I could not have asked for a better child, which often led to my indulgence when I should remain firm.

After hanging up with a warning to not maim any of the construction crew irreparably, I opened a small oak cabinet against the far wall of my office. Inside was my personal altar, holding small idols of Frigg and Hlín nearly as old as I that rested on an ash shelf. I would have preferred to give thanks to my patronesses out of doors, but the native oaks grow in the east and south of Louisiana, and I did not wish to leave Sookie unprotected. I knelt, bowing my head, as I whispered thanks for Sookie being recovered after her kidnapping, for our discovery and subsequent breaking of the spell on her, and most of all, for allowing me to survive that long ago night in order to serve as her protector and gain the gift of her love. I asked My Ladies to continue to look out for us, especially Sookie, in the face of seemingly ubiquitous intrigue. I made an offering of ale in the wooden cup in place for that reason; other gods may prefer blood offerings, but Frigg, as a goddess of the hearth, was content with other items. Finishing, I went to my daily rest, content in the knowledge that Sookie had not rejected my history with Niall and that My Ladies were still keeping watch.


	18. Enmity

A/N: Ok, I hope you don't all hate me by now. My dissertation was reorganized by my supervisor, which prompted a hasty two months of solid work and writing in order to submit it on time. I'm happy to say, it is now finished, printed and bound, four days early! So, I apologize for the delay, especially after my original posting schedule. I hope this satisfies all you sadistic people baying for Bill's blood!

Disclaimer: Considering how broke I am after printing that monster...no, I don't own it.

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Enmity _n_ deep-seated, often mutual hatred; a feeling of hostility, ill-will, antagonism

SPOV

I woke up the next afternoon with memories of Eric's story darting through my mind. It was amazing how vulnerable he had been about telling me; it reminded strongly of the young, helpless, newly turned Eric of the story. I wished for a moment that I could have been there how many hundred of years ago to comfort him in his confusion. My heart had just about broken at the expression on his face when he recounted finally crying over his family and the fact that they'd been dead for decades before he mourned them. I had always wondered about his insistence on presenting as unemotional a front as possible. Other vamps, including Pam, didn't seem to have a problem bending a bit now and then, but Eric always seemed to try to stay as emotionally un-invested as possible. The way he acted when he was cursed was probably very similar to young Eric and it wouldn't surprise me if his mind had suppressed those memories in an act of self-preservation. Although, heaven knows he'd been more emotional with me even before recovering his memories of staying with me. I thought back to everything he'd said and had to wonder if the bond and our shared emotions really _was_ supposed to happen, like Eric thought. That made me feel pretty bad for resisting for so long, but really, was it too much to ask for a memo about life-altering events that are apparently predestined?

Of course, thinking back over things led me to have to consider Niall's role. I couldn't blame him for wanting revenge about his daughter's death, but to constantly rub Eric's face in when he had to know it hurt him was just too far. And could he still be so vindictive as to want to split us up? Ok, so I could see if he still wants to hurt Eric since they've never really been best buds, but to hurt me in the process? I shook my head; this speculation wasn't getting me anywhere. I really just needed to talk to him, with both of them.

I snorted, thinking how well _that_ would go over with Eric. I threw back the covers, needing to get up and be functional. Not to complain about really getting to talk to Eric and be around him, but I was really missing work, or at least doing something useful. I took a look at my phone and found a message from Amelia saying she had to pick up my lunch shift and had plans with Tray for the evening, but she would catch me tomorrow. I was happy she was fitting so well with Tray. Extremely well, from what I'd seen the previous night in my kitchen. After her comment about Eric's and my behaviour the other night, she sure didn't have any compunction about going there herself! There was also a message from Sam checking in and a vague promise of visiting soon. Poor Sam. He wanted me to be happy but was still concerned about my being involved with vamps so much. I know he didn't get the whole thing with Eric, but at least he wasn't ranting about Eric's ability to hurt me like Bill.

Bill. Now there was a whole subject I'd rather not think about. I just knew that Eric was chomping at the bit to beat some sense into him about how he'd treated me. It was kinda sweet, in a totally brutal caveman sort of way. I was really amazed that I wasn't putting up more of a fight, but Bill had really put his foot in it this time. He'd not only betrayed my trust, again, but he'd gone against Eric and his king. I somehow didn't see him walking away from this. Yes, vampire law was barbaric in an eye-for-an-eye sense, but I guess when you're practically invincible, the threat of serious bodily harm or death was really the only way to keep your subjects in line.

I rummaged around in my bag, realising that I was going to be running out of clothes soon. I wanted to run over to Bon Temps and grab some more of my stuff and was actually heading down the stairs to grab Eric's car keys before I remembered that I was effectively under house arrest until we figured out the whole situation. I was pretty impressed with my relaxed ability to disconnect from everything today; such a restriction a month ago would have had me ranting and raving about how everything was affecting _me_, instead of thinking about the possibility that Eric was just trying to keep me alive. Since I couldn't go anywhere and no one was coming over, I decided to poke around Eric's house for a bit. I realised this was probably where he spent the most time, it being to close to Fangtasia. I thought about the house we stayed at after my kidnapping and hoped we'd be able to spend some more nights there. I had to wonder why he'd had clothes for me there and not here, but decided that Romantic Eric must have wanted a place away from both our work for the two of us. He was really showing me more of his personality than I had thought I'd ever get to see. It wasn't that I thought he was two-dimensional, really, I mean he's always been larger than life, but just when I thought I had him pegged he turned around and showed me another side. Like how vulnerable he was last night. I think I finally realised just how much power I had over him with the vast relief he felt after I didn't run screaming from his story. Even the fact that he called himself a murderer, when Eric's always been the one to promote vampire over human, showed me how deep that wound ran.

I shook these serious thoughts out of my head and headed off into the unknown territory that was Eric's house. Hitting the kitchen first, since I knew where it was and I was hungry, I whipped up a sandwich quickly, not feeling in the mood to actually cook. I spotted a fancy radio on the counter and flicked it on, curious to see what Eric would listen to. I giggled as oldies, appropriately enough, came out through the speaker. I started to dance around to some favourites as I finished my sandwich, then cranked the volume so I could hear it everywhere. It wasn't like I was going to wake Eric up. I somehow wasn't surprised to hear the music coming from hidden speakers in the living room. Acting about half my age, I twirled and bopped around the spacious open space in front of the couch, blushing as I caught sight of our clothes from last night still scattered everywhere. Finally tiring of that, I moved into the room just off the kitchen and living room and found a washer and dryer, much to my surprise. I would be willing to bet Eric had never used them, and was pretty much proven right by the brand new state, although he did have the full range of detergents and softeners for some reason. Running back to my room to burn off some energy, I grabbed all my dirty stuff and proceeded to do a load, making sure I picked up everything draped in the other room.

It struck me that I would be completely content to do this on a permanent basis. Maybe not the house arrest, but the picking up and taking care of little things in a house I shared with Eric. Yeah, like that was going to happen. I didn't doubt Eric's love for me or willingness to commit, although he never did answer my question about only feeding from me, the sneak. I just wasn't sure if cohabitating immediately was such a great idea.

Oh, who was I kidding? We'd spend all of our time together anyway and sharing a house would just limit travel time. I smiled dreamily at the thought of more time just being with Eric, then shook myself out of it, embarrassed about acting like a thirteen year old with a crush. Regardless of my willingness to be more flexible in living arrangements, I was going to put my foot down with keeping my job, or at least filling in a shift every now and then. I wasn't stupid; me driving back and forth all the time was a big waste and Eric didn't have a choice about being at Fangtasia most nights. I was serious about working somewhere though and helping Sam out if he needed at the very least.

I felt a healthy dose of lust mixed with glee through the bond and realised Eric must be waking up. I had a feeling I knew what had him so happy and was not looking forward to discussing his activities tonight.

EPOV

I rose a very happy vampire, knowing that tonight, I would be able to inflict much pain on Compton with the complete blessing of de Castro. I wasn't sure about Sookie's feelings on the matter, therefore I wasn't going to enquire. Better to have plausible deniability than not. I could tell she disapproved, but whether it was of torture in general or of Compton in particular, I couldn't be certain.

I left my dayroom and went in search of my lover, finding her in her room in the midst of freshly laundered clothes. I was surprised to see some of my clothing mixed in with her more delicate apparel.

"I see you spent a productive day, dear one. I do not expect you to do chores. I have people who take care of my cleaning needs." I most certainly did not want her to behave as a servant in what I hoped she viewed as her own home.

"Oh, I figured that, but I was bored and needed fresh clothes anyway and you have those really nice machines just sitting there, so I just thought I'd do something useful. Why do you have detergent if you don't do laundry, by the way?"

"I allowed Pam to address the stocking of each of my dwellings. I am sure she felt it necessary to be prepared for any occasion." My child was nothing if not thorough.

"So, what's on the agenda for tonight?" I could tell from her tone she already knew what I was going to do.

"My lover, I must go to Fangtasia tonight. I have arranged for Pam to join you this evening, as I do not want you to be alone." I had not forgotten the mysteriously missing human from that barn when she had been kidnapped and was taking no chances with her safety.

"Ok. I'm glad you're not dragging me with you. I really don't want to be anywhere near where you're punishing Bill." Never let it be said my bonded was not clever.

"Sookie, Felipe is aware of the situation, and I cannot be seen as weak by not meting out corporal punishment. I know you disapprove, but it must be done." And I would enjoy it fully.

"I get it, Eric, really. But can you please not act like Christmas came early? I'm kind of weirded out feeling your excitement over this." Ah, I had not thought of that.

"Of course, my lover. I will try to keep my emotions in check."

A knock at the door indicated Pam's arrival. I went to open the door and was summarily brushed aside as my child barged past me.

"Sookie! I have movies and a selection of 'junk food,' along with various colours of nail polish; everything Dear Abby says is necessary for a girls' night. We can also gossip, which as I understand is a necessary component."

I hadn't seen Pam that excited over something not involving violence in a very long time. I caught Sookie's amusement, although she graciously refused to let Pam see it and instead enquired what movies she had brought. Apparently, she had a large selection of something called 'chick flicks' that made Sookie smile. Pam in her enthusiasm practically pushed me out the door. I barely had time to brush a parting kiss on Sookie's lips before I found myself facing the front of my own house.

When I arrived at my bar, I was pleased to note that the construction was going well. It was costing quite a bit more to have crews working around the clock, but at least insurance was covering most of it. We had been extremely fortunate in that no one had been killed. There were several patrons with serious injuries, but nothing life-threatening. The majority of damage had come from the flying debris.

I bypassed my office and descended to the lower level where I maintained a well-stocked bolt-hole in case of emergency as well as my room for the occasional punishment. Surprisingly, my area was usually stable and I had only had to deal with a few dozen infractions in my years as Sheriff. I don't think I had ever anticipated one as much as I did this.

Entering my favourite soundproof room, I noticed my dutiful child had outdone herself in preparation. The sight in front of me made me instantly hard. Any possible implement for inflicting pain was laid carefully on the long table against the nearest wall. Seeing a few traditional favourites, I lovingly caressed my tools, ranking them in the order I would use them. Tonight would be merely a teaser to what was to come, as I did not want to inflict maximum damage immediately. Better to start with more long-lasting but ultimately reparable pain than to wreak the greatest injury immediately and find no other pain can overcome the first session. It makes drawn out punishments rather useless if the victim can't feel the effect of the next day on top of the current pain.

Compton's coffin was already in the middle of the room, securely wrapped in silver chains. Selecting a thick pair of gloves, I carefully undid the chains, making sure to place them out of reach so as not to unwittingly brush against them. Before opening the lid, I readied a particular pair of manacles. They were iron, but the cuffs were lined with silver, weakening the prisoner without threat to the captor. The chain linking the cuffs fitted into the clasp of the long hanging chain already in place beside the coffin.

I opened the lid, saying pleasantly, "Good evening, Bill." My ex-rival was beginning to show the earliest signs of blood-deprivation, which occurs faster in the young. I could tell he was resigned to his fate, as even with the reduction in his physical strength, he could have struggled as I secured the manacles to his wrists. He chose not to resist, much to my disappointment. I took out my irritation at being denied by inflicting my favourite torture, _strappado_, by binding his hands behind his back, then lifting him to fasten him to the long chain. Using the pulley system already in place, I raised him by the arms to a foot above the ground. The object was to place incredible pressure on the ligaments and make dislocation a near certainty. Even to vampires, the consistent strain of the unnatural position, not to mention my addition of silver-lined cuffs, caused severe pain. It also displayed the victim to full advantage for any additional measures. Sometimes the simplest measures are the best.

I refrained from saying anything, choosing instead to turn my back and exit while he dangled from his wrists. I had no patience for the vermin tonight and instead focused on the paperwork for both my bar and my area. I had let it pile up due to the distractions of the past few days, but took delight in immersing myself once more into my position. The thought of Compton left hanging in an empty room made the work even sweeter. I was surprised that I had to stop myself from calling Sookie; our first night of separation since her kidnapping had me slightly on edge once I was not in the moment of concentrating on my vengeance. I worked for a decent period of time, making sure all critical issues were addressed, before heading back downstairs.

I quietly entered the room and simply observed my captive in his awkward position.

"You really should not have attempted to take Sookie away from me. Surely you knew that she would not willingly return to you after all that you put her through?" I had to give him credit for barely allowing his extreme discomfort to show. He remained silent, so I raised the chain two feet and then let it drop back into its original position, forcing the impact to be felt directly on his shoulders and wrists. I took satisfaction in hearing a crack as something gave way.

"You know, de Castro actually thought it preposterous that you had the vanity to assume she would choose you over me. It really doesn't say much for you that our king laughed incredulously at the mere idea that you thought you could win her affection from me." I was enjoying rubbing in his poor reputation with women, compared to my own legendary status.

He spoke up then, his gravely voice betraying his lack of feeding. "Do you really think you can treat her the way she wants? I know your proclivities, Eric. You could never be satisfied with one bedmate for long, especially one as relatively mundane as Sookie."

Did the idiot actually just say that one, I wasn't capable of taking care of my lover and two, Sookie was an inadequate lover? I had a sudden urge to cut out his tongue. I did realise that he may actually be needed to testify against Russell, which would require the use of that impertinent muscle. Pity.

"If you consider Sookie to be a commonplace lover, then you can only blame your own insufficiency in pleasing a woman. My lover is quite able to satisfy all of my appetites and even exceeds my expectations on a regular basis. She merely requires the proper care and guidance." I knew I was letting the fucker get to me, but how dare he defame my bonded? I jerked the chain again. I was gratified to hear his groan.

"If you insist on slandering Sookie, I will resort to an appropriate measure." I selected a brank, briefly wondering where Pam had acquired a real one, not the toy version used in sex play by those who enjoy a touch of pain. I hadn't seen the serious version in at least three hundred and fifty years and then only in England and Scotland. Also known as a 'scold's bridle', the iron muzzle encased the entire head and was fitted with a spiked curb resting in the mouth to pierce the tongue if it moved. I found great satisfaction in using a woman's punishment on Compton.

Setting the device in place, I continued to speak in a casual tone, belying my anger and arousal at both the thought of my exquisite lover and finally being able to strike back for the fucking idiot for keeping her from me for so long. "And as to treating her the way she deserves, I do not think you are particularly qualified to comment. Of the two of us, I have never abandoned, raped or attempted to drain her, nor only pay her attention due to orders. That you have done twice now and believe me, my lover is not unintelligent, no matter what you think. Yes, she was innocent when you first met her, which is another infraction I must punish you for, but she has never been able to be fooled twice. She would have noticed your attention to your new master. Did you honestly think that you could compel her to abandon her friends and family home merely by your presence? I hate to inform you, but you are not that magnetic."

Another drop on the chain forced at least one shoulder out of its proper place and his tongue to involuntarily impale itself on the spiked curb. I had to adjust myself from the excitement his agonized cry aroused. I couldn't wait to get home to Sookie; she was going to bear the brunt of my awakened libido.

"Now, just to give you something to think about for the rest of the night, I will be using this lovely little device as revenge for stealing Sookie's innocence while lying through your teeth." I held up an object and was pleased to see his eyes widen. "Because of your perfidy in professing a love that did not exist, I have had to work extremely hard to allow her to trust me. For that, for not adequately preparing her before selfishly taking your pleasure along with her innocence, and for daring to attempt to take her again, I will remove your useless tool so you cannot even dream of having my bonded again. Felipe will also appreciate the poetry in its use."

The implement I was holding was a perfectly diabolical invention known as crocodile shears. How I miss medieval ingenuity. Instead of cutting blades, these shears formed a hollow tube with barbs on the interior concave surface. Typically used on medieval regicides, which is why I anticipated de Castro's approval for its use on a traitor, the metal was heated and the jaws were closed over the penis, which was then torn off. I was not going to use that particular item any time soon, but the dread should do more than any other psychological torture I could create. The mere thought of completely avenging my lover for all of the hurt this miserable creature had dealt her put the front of my jeans at risk.

With a carefree walk that belied my need for my lover, I replaced the shears on the table and headed for the door. "Have a pleasant night, Bill," I said as I shut the door behind me.

I sped home, desperate for Sookie. Sprinting from the car into the house, I was treated to the sight of both my women snuggled together on the couch, freshly painted nails in evidence. They were giggling, a sound which was vaguely disturbing when coming from Pam.

"Eric! You're back," Sookie managed through her laughter. Pam merely nodded as she restrained her mirth.

"As you can see, my lover. Pam, you may return to your evening." She actually looked disappointed in being dismissed. I was pleased to see how well they were getting along, but did not want an audience for my intentions. Not that I would have minded, but Sookie certainly would. "A word, before you leave."

Both Pam and Sookie stood. Sookie embraced my startled child, saying, "Thanks so much for tonight, Pam. That was really fun! We'll have to pick up with some more classics next time!"

"Yes, I will look into the list you gave me. Good night, Sookie."

Pam followed me to the door and waited expectantly. "I have left Compton bound and suspended. You will need to release him and put him back in the coffin before dawn. He is also wearing the brank, which will need to be removed as well."

"Master, why not leave him to his daytime death while exposed? The basement is completely lightproof."

"Pamela, I may relish the opportunity to avenge Sookie and inflict damage on the irritating little prick, but I will not needlessly torture him. Compton, while not innocent, is really simply incompetent and lacks the spirit to have simply called Russell on his line of bullshit about a favour owed. I have set up more damage through the power of suggestion than anything I will actually perform, but he does not know this. So, before dawn, you will release him and place him back in the coffin, making sure to secure it with the silver chains."

"Yes, Master." She hesitated, then asked, "May I be allowed to guard Sookie again tomorrow night?"

That was a surprise, especially as I had already given her permission to play with Compton briefly the next night. "Yes, that will work out well. I am glad you enjoyed yourself tonight. Good night, Pam."

Finally shutting the door, my libido jumped to incredible levels. I turned and stalked back toward the living room and Sookie.

Sookie had obviously sensed my predatory mood and was nervously fussing, straightening the detritus from the evening. She was facing away from me, and I actually managed to slide my hands around her waist before she noticed my approach. I chuckled darkly as she started with a gasp.

"Oh! Eric, don't do that!" I began nuzzling her neck which she conveniently bared as she continued to babble. "Pam and I had a lot of fun tonight. You would have hated the movies we watched. Did you have a good evening?"

I ground my hips into her ass, saying, "I plan on having a very good night, lover."

"O…oh! I can tell you're up for it," she said, rubbing against me. I was momentarily startled. Sookie was teasing me, even knowing what had happened earlier? This could be a very good night. She continued, "The question is, can you catch me?" and vanished out of my arms.

My lover wanted to play, did she? A smirk took over my face. I concentrated on the bond, and felt her amusement and desire emanating from upstairs.

I slowly made my way up the stairs, sending waves of lust through the bond. I could hear her heartbeat race and her harsh breaths speed up. "My lover, where are you hiding?" I knew where she was, but played her game.

At least, that was my plan until her bedroom door crashed open and she physically pulled me inside. I was instantly attacked by an insanely aroused blonde fury who adhered herself to my lips.

"That was cheating," she murmured against my mouth.

"Who said I was playing fair, lover?" I asked, as I easily lifted her and pressed her against the wall. I was as hard as iron and thrust impatiently against her still-clad form. Even through our layers of cloth, I could feel the heat from her core.

"You're overdressed," I stated firmly, placing her back on the ground. "Strip."

Sookie's eyes widened briefly at my command, then her expression turned sultry as she ran her hands down her curves to the hem of her shirt, pulling it upward at a teasingly slow pace. As her beautiful skin was revealed, inch by inch, I began to shed my own garments, keeping a steady, intense gaze on my bonded. I heard her breath hitch as I yanked off my jeans, letting my arousal show just how much I needed her. She ceased her tease and rapidly lost her own trousers and undergarments.

I moved toward her, roughly yanking her against me and moulding my mouth to hers. I was done waiting; I'd been wanting her since I rose and my activities had only increased my burn for her. She writhed against me, overcome by the same lust and dark need I was mired in.

I flipped her around, bending her over the bed. I couldn't resist stroking her luscious ass, especially since it was presented so prettily. I followed my sudden urge and smacked my hand against one of her firm globes. Her instant moan followed her instinctive pressing back into my hand.

"Did you like that, Sookie? Do you like it when I show you who you belong to?" I was acting on darker instincts tonight and was delighted to see her respond so easily.

"Yes, Eric." Gods, her reply was so submissive that I groaned, thrusting involuntarily against her. I smacked her other cheek and could smell her arousal heighten. I ran my fingers across her wet slit, making sure she was ready for what would be a hard and fast coupling.

"Are you ready for me? Are you wet and waiting for me to take possession of you?" More slaps against her resulted in darkly erotic moans.

"Yes, Eric. Please, take me!"

My control snapped and I spread her legs, making sure she was balanced steadily with her hands against the bed. Gripping her hips, I plunged deep inside her welcoming channel, revelling in the tightness of taking her from behind. I began to pound into her in unrelenting strokes, pulling her back to me with each thrust. It was borderline brutal, but from Sookie's animalistic noises, she seemed to be enjoying it. I slid one hand from her hip and added light slaps to her engorged bundle of nerves in time to every plunge within her. Her whole body was shuddering as her walls began to pulse and grasp at my length. I started to rub against her clitoris in earnest, wanting to feel her come around my cock. I buried my head in the curve of her shoulder, sliding my fangs into her creamy skin. As I sucked in her sublime blood, she came with a primal scream, her entire body seizing in her release. My own peak was milked from me as her velvet walls convulsed around me. I threw my head back and howled, pouring my seed deep inside her.

I kept my arm around her waist, pinning her to me as her muscles became flaccid. I could have taken her again, but I was concerned with her well-being after that intense fucking. I had never been that aggressive with her. Gently lifting her, I pulled back the linens and settled her amongst the pillows before sliding next to her and cradling her to me. She sighed contentedly as she snuggled against my shoulder and I placed a tender kiss on her forehead.

"Feel better now?" Sookie asked in a raspy voice.

"Mm, much, my lover. And are you satisfied as well?" I knew the answer, but wanted her confirmation.

"And how! I suppose I should be scolding you for being so worked up over doing who knows what to Bill, but it'd just go in one ear and out the other. I know you have to do it, and to be honest, he kinda deserves it this time. Besides, I definitely can't complain about what we just did! Although I may not be able to walk tomorrow."

I felt slight guilt pervade my general satisfaction. "I am sorry, beloved. Would you like my blood to heal?"

"No, baby, I'll be fine. It's a good kind of hurt. Plus, it'll make sure I'm thinking about you tomorrow," she teased.

"You had better be thinking only of me," I growled playfully. It still amazed me to be able to banter after fucking. I had grown too accustomed to being serviced by my meal of the evening, after which I merely wished for their absence.

"Well, I could be thinking of Pam, you know…" I rolled her under me before she could finish.

"You dare to speak of my child while in bed with me?" I asked in mock indignation.

Sookie's enchanting giggle had me captivated as I balanced above her. "If you'd let me finish there, I was going to say 'and our plans for movie night', but you know, she is very attractive." Her attempt at composure failed utterly. I knew she was merely kidding, but my mind latched on to the image of my lover and child entwined and Sookie felt the immediate evidence of my appreciation for such a situation.

"Eric! I wasn't serious!" Sookie cried, scandalised.

"Hm, pity." She rolled her eyes, but smiled up at me nonetheless.

"I love you, you know." Never will I tire of hearing those words from her lips.

"And I you, beloved." Bending down, I kissed her lightly before resuming our original position. Seeing her yawn, I said, "Goodnight, dear one. Sleep now and I will see you when I rise."

"M'kay. G'night, Eric." I lay with my treasure in my arms until daybreak, enjoying the respite from the worries that plagued me at other times. The perpetrator of the spell, the missing kidnapper, the king's interest in Sookie, all faded away in the comfort of my bonded's sleeping presence. I only wished I could remain there.

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Hope it somewhat makes up for my neglect!


	19. Dénouement

A/N: Oh boy. I can't believe how long it's been since I posted, which makes me feel incredibly bad, especially after all of those lovely reviews commenting on my consistent updating. My most abject apologies! All I can say is that being on three different continents in the last four months has played havoc with my writing schedule. I hope this extra-long and significant chapter helps atone slightly for my neglect! Also, if anyone needs a recap, just PM me and I'll send one your way.

Disclaimer: Still not mine.....

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Dénouement _n_ the final resolution of the intricacies of a plot, the outcome or resolution of a doubtful series of occurrences.

SPOV

The next few days and nights passed in roughly the same manner. I would get up and do little things around the house or Amelia would come over and we'd chat while catching up on our tans. Sam even dropped by once. He didn't stay long, but seemed ok with seeing me at Eric's place. I think the fact that Amelia said I was 'glowing with happiness' had a lot to do with that. Still, it was nice to see him and listen to his stories about crazy customers, even if it did make me a little homesick for my old life. Pam would stop by after dark and we had a great time watching everything from 80's classics to _Pride and Prejudice_. It was funny getting her reaction to romantic films, especially when she took to berating the characters with advice from her prized newspaper clippings.

I still wasn't thinking too hard about what Eric was up to every night when he disappeared for a few hours. I knew he was taking far too much pleasure from torturing Bill, but I didn't say anything, as per my new mentality. I will say that I was reaping the benefits of having a happy, horny vamp come home to me every night. He was insatiable lately, alternating between fast and intense and drawn out and sweet. I think we talked and laughed more while recovering between sessions of pleasure than we had in the past year altogether.

Today was one of Amelia's days and she'd shown up late in the afternoon after her lunch shift. We had fun making a mess in the kitchen, trying one of Gran's recipes for shrimp etouffee that didn't turn out half bad. It was going to be amusing to see Eric's reaction to the destruction we'd left in the kitchen. Poor vamp still didn't quite understand the preparation behind modern meals.

"So, how's life at Casa de Northman these days? Dull days followed by hot nights?" Amelia's spoken words were much cleaner than her thoughts, I'm sure, but I was rejoicing in my newly effortless shields.

"Life is actually extremely good right now. How 'bout you, are you doing ok working at Merlotte's?" I still felt guilty for dumping my shifts on her, especially as there hadn't been a peep out of anyone about trying to separate me from Eric. I hadn't forgotten that bizarrely familiar thought signature or the disappearing man from the barn though, so I wasn't putting up a fight for my freedom. Yet.

"I'm actually really liking it. It's a nice way to fill my spare time and Tray comes and hangs out every now and then." Amelia had a cute little smile as she thought of her beau.

"Have you accidentally made him spill his feelings for you with that new little ability of yours?" I asked, knowing her tendency to use her abilities in the heat of the moment.

"Ha ha. No, actually, but I have been practicing and can do it loads better. This is a serious thing I can do, though, and I have to really concentrate which is good, since I can't just slip up. Although, I did ask Sam what he though of my waitressing skills and he was definitely not flattering! But seriously, how long do you think you'll be here? I mean, there's been no hint of anyone trying to get after you again and the wards I put on you are probably fading by now. I can redo them if you want, but is it necessary?"

I hadn't told Amelia any of Eric's story; that was way too private to share even if he hadn't already asked me to not. As much as I hated to admit it, it sure looked like Niall was not innocent in all of this.

"'Meals, you remember about how you were going to look into Fae magic for me? You ever get around to that?" I asked, figuring to go about it obliquely.

"I tried, but there really isn't much that I have access to that mentions the serious stuff. Why? Are you thinking the prince is behind this?"

Ok, maybe I wasn't as subtle as I thought.

"It was way too much of a coincidence for me to be able to pop myself places the day Claudine shows up, don't you think? I just don't see what anyone would gain by me having fairy powers if they're concerned with Eric's feeding habits, although Eric thinks that Niall's worried about my being turned. Argh! We just don't know enough, really. But I have to say I'm leaning toward a Fae spell." I wasn't going to bring up my shields or ability to read pretty much anyone.

"Well, like I said, I couldn't really find anything at all. I don't think I'm going to be much use with that. I'm sorry, Sook."

Just as I was about to reassure her that it was ok, Claudine popped in. I managed to not jump out of my skin this time.

"Oh, Sookie, I need to talk to you!"

I shot Amelia a look, dropping my shields for a second.

She nodded, thinking loudly, _Let's see if I can get past Fae wards now._ Out loud, she asked, "So, Claudine, what's Niall been up to these days? I'm surprised he hasn't dropped in to see Sookie lately."

Claudine looked startled as she spouted, "The prince has been very busy lately. I was just informed that he had placed a compulsion spell on Sookie and that it had failed, leaving him most enraged. He wanted to separate Sookie from the Viking, although I don't know why, since they seem so happy together. As for visiting, I believe he plans to visit soon." She shook her head and looked reproachfully at Amelia. "Really, there was no need for that. I was planning on telling Sookie all of that; it was the purpose of my visit. Sookie, you must believe that I only found out about the spell today. I swear I would have warned you or attempted to break it if I had known earlier. No one should be forced to act a certain way or to reject a loved one due to magic. It's tantamount to mental rape and completely disgusting. I'm so sorry I haven't been a better guardian! I should have discovered all of this much earlier!"

I walked over and gave my distressed cousin a big hug. "S'ok, Claudine, I believe you, really. And nobody knew about the spell, except my clever friends guessed it after I was a total bitch for a few weeks straight. You've done the best job guarding me you could and I'm grateful to you for coming to tell me, even if we kind of pre-empted that." I stepped back by Amelia. "I'm glad Niall's coming today. I have a big bone to pick with him about free will and leaving me the hell alone!"

I was suddenly slammed with a wave of pure rage and whipped my head over to the patio door. Eric stood there, practically vibrating with fury. It didn't take a genius to figure out he'd heard Claudine confess to Niall's plans. I flew over to him, desperate to feel his arms around me. I was angry myself, but I irrationally felt that if he held me, things would be ok.

"The prince will not be separating us." Eric's voice was stone cold and his fangs had run out.

"I'm sorry, Sookie, Eric. I swear I didn't know about this!" Claudine, to her credit, wasn't backing down with Eric's sudden appearance and even apologized directly to him. I could tell she was amazed he hadn't tried to drain her yet, but at least she seemed willing to stick around and try to explain.

Eric hadn't relaxed at all; in fact he was getting more rigid. I craned my neck to look him in the eye. Instead of saying anything, he just picked me up by the arms and violently crushed his mouth to mine. I gave back as good as I got, needing the moment as much as he did. His tongue invaded my mouth, plundering it completely. My own tangled with his before sliding over to trace his fangs. I purposefully pressed my tongue to the tip of one until it began to bleed. I knew having my blood would distract him momentarily, hopefully enough for his strategic mind to come to the fore, plus the feeling of him sucking my tongue to get all the blood was damn hot! _Not the time, Sookie!_

Needing air, I reluctantly broke the mauling kiss. Eric leaned his forehead against mine as I panted for breath. "You are mine and I will be damned before I let him take you away from me!" he said, his dark tone promising all sorts of violence for Niall.

"Baby, he'd have to drag me kicking and screaming away from you and even then we'd find our way back to each other." We maintained eye contact as my feet became reacquainted with the ground.

Turning back to face Amelia and Claudine, I saw they were wearing matching awestruck expressions at our passionate display.

"I am so sorry I didn't catch the prince's plans earlier. I know I haven't been completely supportive of your relationship, but you just proved how compatible you are. I've never seen a couple whose auras blended together like that!" Claudine looked stunned.

"It is nothing of the sort, child. There is only vampire trickery at work here!" Niall boomed out as he suddenly appeared.

Eric snarled, looking a hair's breadth from attacking and I couldn't really blame him.

"Leave! Sookie is here by her choice and will remain so unless she decides otherwise!"

I had to intervene before there was bloodshed; besides, I was still plenty pissed. I stepped in between them, saying, "Grandfather, do you have something to say to me?"

I watched Niall's expression shift to something approximating concern. "My dear, I am most concerned with your so-called relationship with this vampire. No good can come of this. I know you think you have feelings for this _thing_, but you need to trust that I know what is best for you in this case. You do not know of his history against us. I only wish to protect you." Niall latched onto my arm as he was saying this, in what I thought was just a familiar gesture, but I began to feel tendrils of power coming from him. Oh, boy, not good. I realised he was trying to transport me with him to who knows where, and I fought with every inch of my will. I figured if I could will myself to move, the reverse should be true, too, so I dug in my mental heels, but seriously underestimated Niall's strength as I found myself being dragged after him. Just as my mental tether snapped, I felt a harsh grip on my free arm.

When the earth stopped spinning, I realised we were definitely not in Kansas anymore, given that I'm pretty sure I'd never seen such green rolling hills dotted with sheep anywhere in Louisiana. Actually, I don't think I'd ever even seen a sheep for real before. Wherever we were felt strangely familiar, but I knew we'd gone pretty far. I could barely sense Eric and briefly panicked before pushing it aside and deciding to finally get some answers about the most recent traumatic experiences in my life.

I glanced over at my great-grandfather, who'd finally released my arm, and wasn't terribly surprised to see Amelia there too. I was glad she'd had the presence of mind to grab onto me. Her newly found talent of forcing others to tell the truth would come in handy here, since my dear relation was never one to willing divulge information and we'd just proven that she could slip under Fae wards. She nodded to me, indicating she was using her ability. Niall seemed to be too off-balance from my resisting and the drain of popping all three of us to notice her prying under his shields.

"What the hell did you to do me? It was you behind that spell, making me hate my friends and reject Eric; how could you?!" I spared a brief thought that Gran would disapprove of my language to a relative, but figured she would excuse it under the circumstances.

"Yes, I did cast the spell on you. I merely wanted you to see sense and realise how dangerous the Viking is, especially to one of my line. I regret that such strong measures were necessary, but the bond between you is surprisingly strong and it needed countermeasures of similar strength." My traitorous family member sounded like he had just confessed using up the last of the milk instead of fucking over my life.

I was instantly so enraged that I began shaking, hot tears of pure anger dropping down my face.

"DO YOU KNOW WHAT YOU PUT ME THROUGH?! HOW MUCH I WAS HURTING BECAUSE OF YOUR FUCKING SPELL?!" I couldn't believe it. Yet again, betrayed by someone who I thought loved me. What was wrong with me that people could do that to me and then act like it was a big favour to me? Was I just unlovable? Before I had even finished that thought, I felt Eric's presence flowing through me, wrapping me in his essence. His love for me and total conviction that we belonged together bolstered my flagging emotions. Even halfway across the globe, our bond held firm. I wasn't sure if it was actually from him or if it was from the part of his soul I held in mine, but either way, it was truth. Amelia's presence helped break up my self-pity as well, showing the blessings I had in my steadfast friends.

"My dear, it is not safe for you to be so close to vampires, especially the Viking. He is ruthless and will get you killed. Please, grand-daughter, allow me to break the bond and take you away from his influence. If you do not wish to go to the lands of the Fae, then I will gladly take you anywhere that is far away from that place. Once free of his influence, you will be able to live a more normal life and find a suitable life partner, one who will not put you in danger and can give you children. I know you desire offspring, and you cannot have them with the vampire. Even if you did not wish for young, your increased Fae abilities mixed with your telepathy will make you a prize among the Supernatural community, which will only be magnified by your connection to the vampire. Do not be deceived by his words of love; he is incapable of caring for you and will not risk his own existence to keep you alive in a life rife with those who covet you. Please, child, understand I know what is best."

Huh. My great grandfather, all powerful Prince of the Fae, was almost, _almost_, begging me. But, he was begging me to leave behind my entire life, not to mention the love of it. "Look, Grandfather, I'm grateful for your concern, really. At one point, a normal life with children was all I wanted. But I love Eric. And, hard as it may be for you to understand, he loves me. And as for him getting me killed, Eric is usually the first to come springing to my rescue. Nearly every time I've been injured or scared, it's been my own doing, but Eric's always there to get me out of it. He even came to get me after your little spell screwed me up so badly I was kidnapped! And if I'm going to become an even greater target for Supes in the future, then how the hell do you expect me to stay safe if I live this perfect little life you have planned for me? You think any other guy you want me to be with could protect me half as well? And do you honestly not understand that I LOVE HIM? He's my _soulmate_, for crying out loud! I can't, I won't just move on and find someone else to love!" Something else was wiggling in the back of my mind, but it took me a second to actually pull it out.

"Oh my God! And how could you use that spell? Amelia told me that breaking it was supposed to drive me crazy and it nearly did! I was so overcome with negative emotions that it was beyond painful!"

"It was a necessary secondary measure, should you not leave of your own free will. We have ways of recovering sanity. Yours would have been restored once the bond was broken. The Viking would not have wanted to stay bound to a mad woman. I would have come and taken you home with me, where you would have regained your mind." The bastard actually sounded proud of his plan. I decided to shake that up a bit.

I coldly stated, "I was thinking about killing myself. How, pray tell, would I have recovered from that?" I had the satisfaction of seeing Niall's eyes widen. Amelia gasped in horror and clung tighter to my wrist.

"That…but, why…" he spluttered.

"I told you, I can't live without Eric. Even if you decided to kill him, thinking to drive me to you in grief, I wouldn't be around for long. And I'm not being a melodramatic female, so get that thought out of your head." This time, I thought my dear grandfather was going to fade away, as pale as he got. "What, you thought you could jumpstart my Fae abilities and not have it affect my telepathy, too? Yeah, I can read you and I really don't like what I see." I wasn't lying; the hostility he had for Eric was terrifying.

"The spell was two-fold, in that it also increased the percentage of Fae in you. It was cast shortly after the recent vampire hostilities in your area, as I knew the new king could only bring more danger to your life given that he covets your telepathy. It is a subtle spell, requiring time to act on your spark of magic and weave itself into your mental processes. By making you taste more Fae, I had hoped to drive your vampire to violence so I could legitimately send Claudine to rescue you. If he had attacked you, you would have been more willing to break the bond. I sent her to you when it became clear he was not affected to determine if perhaps you had denied him your blood and your bond was weakening. I was most displeased to learn that you somehow managed to negate the compulsion aspect without triggering the failsafe, and that you were still sharing blood."

Well, that explained my hearing Eric before we completed the deeper bond if the spell had been working on my abilities that long. Him hearing my call was still a mystery, though. Maybe I should try to get one of Eric's goddesses to stop by for a chat and see what's up with the whole fate/wyrd thing that I still wasn't sure I completely understood.

Niall continued, "My dear child, it was for your own good! You do not know of the atrocities that vile creature has committed, especially against our family! I could not see you bound to him only for him to abuse you or worse." Ok, the sanctimonious bastard was getting me mad. Even Gran would excuse some poor manners on my part by this point.

"So you decided to _drive_ him to hurting me, on the off-chance that eventually, he may have hurt me? Oh, that's an ingenious plan. And for your fucking information, Eric told me everything about Álfdís, even how you tormented him with why he served you all those years. I don't even want to guess at what you said to him before he introduced us. Did you enjoy that? Rubbing in the fact that his bonded was related to you and comparing me to your long-lost daughter just to make him doubt if he could take care of me? Eric is a good man and despite being a vampire and trying to get rid of his emotions, he _still_ regrets something that wasn't even his fault! He was a young, untaught vampire who was set up by someone he trusted. And you reminding him of that only made him feel worse! D'you know, he practically begged for my forgiveness after telling me? He was so worried that I would hate him for something that happened centuries ago and with people I never met, just because they might be related to me. Does that sound like someone who was just waiting for a chance to hurt me?" My chest was heaving, trying to suck in air. I was so furious. Amelia, who had been staring wide-eyed at this exchange, soothingly ran her hand up and down my arm. I didn't know if she was still influencing Niall to tell the truth or if he was so thrown by the rapid exchange that he was for once being honest on his own, but at least she was there for me.

"The vampire is skilled at seduction and deception. I do not blame you for being taken in, but whatever lies he has woven about his 'remorse' are plain falsehoods." Niall's voice was less assured than before.

"My God, do you not listen to a word I say? Eric is my soulmate and my bondmate. He _can't_ lie to me. I can feel everything he does, know his thoughts as he thinks them. There's no way for him to deceive me. And don't even go there; you know he can't glamour me, besides, why the hell would he want to? I love him and I trust him and I _will_ be with him." I couldn't believe Niall couldn't get that.

Boy, just when I thought he couldn't get any paler. "What do you mean, you are soulmate to the Viking? This cannot be so!"

Amelia jumped in here. "Um, sorry to barge in on this family dispute, but yeah, it's true. When Sookie was kidnapped, Eric couldn't find her through the bond because of the spell YOU put on her, so I did a tracking spell that works on bonded pairs, except it has a side effect that only comes out with soulmates. If they were just bloodbonded, it wouldn't have happened, but a bit of their souls travelled to the other. They can share thoughts occasionally and their emotional tie is much deeper now. You can't just create that connection; it had to be there to begin with and the spell just activates it."

"The kidnapping would not have resulted in your being injured. Claudine informed me of your capture and I…impressed upon those humans to refrain from causing you permanent damage. As the spell was apparently not working as I wished, I had hoped that having your vampire fail to locate you would have broken the hold he has over you. I was not anticipating the witch's interference." Niall shot Amelia a dirty look that she just returned. I was so grateful to have her with me, since the hits just kept on coming. I wasn't sure if I was ever going to trust anyone again.

"Oh God, you were there! That was you I sensed briefly! So, what, you leave me to the mercy of ignorant brutes after asking them nicely to not hurt me? Newsflash: they did hurt me! It was a damn good thing Eric got there when he did!" I was seriously considering becoming a recluse and having only Eric and Amelia know where I was. Did everyone I associate with want to try to dictate my life? My heart felt like it had been frozen from all the revelations.

Niall was finally showing some anger. "They would not have been able to leave any permanent marks, but I felt the use of a little fear was warranted. I would not let you be seriously injured, only have your confidence shaken. But it was all for naught if you are bound by soul as well as blood. There is no removing such a bond, only suppressing it. And that leaves you too connected to the vampire for my peace of mind."

In an embittered voice, I responded to his thoughts, saying, "So, what do you think of me now that I'm defiled by my connection to a vampire? I'm not your precious little Sookie anymore, right?" I caught an undertone to his thoughts and a light bulb went on in my brain, even as my heart decided it was safer to just be numb.

"You liar! None of this was for my own good, not really! You just don't want me to be turned. Eric was right; you don't want to 'lose' another of your descendents to him, even though I wouldn't be gone. You wouldn't have any claim to me as a vamp."

"A vampire with your telepathy, not to mention Fae traits…"

I cut him off, "Traits that apparently YOU gave me! I don't think you really planned this one out very well! And I've never said I wanted to be turned, so why would you go to all this trouble? Besides, who's to say I'd actually keep any extra abilities after the change; you know it doesn't always work that way." Even in my growing apathy, I noted how illogical his entire plan seemed. I felt like I was missing something when I finally connected the dots. "That's not the only reason, is it? Even if I'm not turned, if I'm with Eric, I'm never going to have kids. And that's the real reason you wanted me to be more Fae. If I have children, even with a human, those traits would be more likely to pass on. You want me to be fucking breeding stock!"

"Enough! You will do as I say and submit to having your bond suppressed! You will cease your 'relationship' with the Viking and will find a mortal to have children with. We need to increase our numbers and even having those with diluted blood will give us the chance to cement our position. You are of my bloodline and will obey me in this!"

This was definitely my day for surprises; before I got a chance to respond to his line of bull, a stunning woman just appeared in our little group. By stunning, I mean easily the most graceful, elegant and striking woman I'd ever seen. Her expression, however, was definitely forbidding. I was pleased to see that glare directed at Niall.

"Prince of the Fae, I warned you centuries ago that you were not to interfere in the bonding of my mistress' favoured son and your descendant. The signs were clear that this was the event you were to watch from afar. Your offer to eliminate our devoted servant was overlooked, as it came from a desire to look after your child's progeny, but this elaborate scheme to involve yourself into something far greater than you imagined is a direct affront to my mistress. The bonding of these two children was long foretold and will serve a purpose in events to come."

I snuck a glance at Amelia, having heard her quickly indrawn breath. Her awestruck expression must have put a quizzical look on my face, since she hurriedly muttered, "Geez, Sook, what are you and that Viking involved in? You've got a couple of goddesses in your corner? I'm glad I'm on your side and that my spell didn't screw anything up!"

Ok, so I've been accused of being slow before, even though I thought I was actually pretty smart, but it took me a few seconds to put everything together. I blame the complete emotional battering I'd been put through. "Goddesses? What....OH!" my brain finally caught up to Eric's story.

I know I've been exposed to more of the supernatural world than most people, but it was still difficult for me, the good southern Christian girl, to accept that ancient deities actually exist and act in the modern world. I figured I just needed to have faith, pun intended, that the world was bigger than I could comprehend and that everything exists for a reason. Stunned, I turned back to the altercation.

Niall was practically vibrating with impotent fury, but Hlín, as I assumed the Lady was, stood resolute and calm.

"This was not part of our arrangement! No mention was made of losing my claim to another of my line in favour of the vampire! I would not have agreed to your terms if I had known it would result in this travesty of a Brigant bound to a vampire, the destroyer of Fae no less!"

"Yet agree to it you did. Even if you had not, how could you have prevented a destined pair from meeting? Their individual wyrd led each to the other and resulted in their joining. No, you could not have intervened, even had you known. I hold you to your word as Prince of the Fae, to stand by what you swore to my Lady and allow the bond between these children to remain uncontested." Her voice had remained light yet firm throughout her declaration. After all I had been put through, and all that Eric had suffered over the years, this was the end of it? Niall was going to get away with nearly killing me for an overblown sense of family ownership and some misguided breeding program? While not normally vindictive, I was seething with the injustice of it.

It appeared that Hlín wasn't finished, as she continued in a harsher tone, her power and sincerity palpable in every word. "You broke an oath to my Lady and to the Æsir. Whatever injustice you feel you have suffered, you have acted in a manner unbecoming your status as well as threatening the well-being of she whom you declare you wish to protect. Know this, Prince, your actions for the future will be overseen, in punishment. You will not be able to act outside of your realm in the manner you are accustomed until such time as you are felt to be able to behave in accordance with your word."

For one terrifying moment, I thought that Niall was going to challenge the ruling, but the moment passed and he seemed to shrink in on himself. He bowed his head, acknowledging the reality that he had done the wrong thing. He turned to me. I couldn't help taking a half step backward, even if I did feel a slight pang of guilt for the look of pain that flashed across his resigned expression. "Granddaughter, I apologize for my misguided actions, especially as they have caused you more pain. I regret that you suffered due to my pride. I can only say that my concern for you, as well as the pressure placed upon me to bolster our numbers, led to my rash and ill-considered actions. I hope in the future, you can find it in yourself to forgive me and allow me to attempt to make amends."

I considered everything I'd been put through in the last few months. Could I ever forgive him for putting me through hell? Thinking back to Eric's pained confession, I knew what my answer would be. "Niall, I don't know how long it'll take, but you're part of my family and even when family does hurtful things, you don't have a choice but to keep loving them, so I'll forgive you for what you've done to me, eventually. What I have a harder time even considering forgiving you for is the way you've treated Eric." I was so drained. I wanted to rant or even have a good sobfest, but what good would more recriminations do? I sighed, just wanting to be back in Eric's arms and hiding from the rest of the world. "If we're going to move past this, I need to know you'll be able to treat him as part of my family. He's part of me, and that means he gets the same treatment, or at least toleration, as I do."

He gritted his teeth, saying, "Also extend my apologies to your vampire."

It appeared that was all I was going to get from him. Frankly, I couldn't have cared less at the moment. I just wanted to go home and sleep for a week. Gratefully allowing my shields to slide back up, I turned to an equally exhausted looking Amelia.

"Ready to go home?" I asked.

"Am I ever," she replied, barely mustering the energy.

We were startled by Hlín interjecting, "Go, return to your bonded. My mistress is pleased you have finally come to accept each other and will continue to watch over you both." She turned to Amelia. "Witch, your loyalty to your friend has been noted. My mistress offers her patronage toward you in return for your continued protection of Her children." I had to smile at Amelia's open jaw. Hlín continued, "Go now. Return the way you came."

I grabbed on to Amelia's arm, since she seemed too awestruck to react. I thought of home and my longing for peace and Eric and felt the tug of the bond.

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Additional A/N: Now, I can either bring this to an end and begin a sequal, or I can continue to resolve the loose ends in future chapters of _Nadir_. Thoughts? Opinions?


	20. Interlude

AN: Hello all! My apologies for the delay in posting! I won't offer excuses, merely my regret it has taken so long. A short chapter before starting the secondary rising action. Thank you for staying with me!

Disclaimer: How I wish I owned them...

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Interlude _n_ an intervening period, episode, space, etc.

EPOV

I watched helplessly as Brigant popped out of sight with Sookie. The only thing that kept me from a complete rage was that the witch had thrown herself onto my bonded just in time to be transported as well. I knew she would do whatever was necessary to keep Sookie away from her devious relation; I was grateful my beloved had such a staunch supporter, especially in regard to our relationship. Not that this stopped my alternating fury and unease. Apparently I was not as secure as I thought in our relationship as doubts of Sookie's return began to plague me. I paced restlessly, inwardly debating if the prince would be able to compel her from my side.

"Calm yourself, vampire. My cousin is strong-willed and knows her own mind. She will return to you, regardless of the Prince's plans." I whirled, having forgotten the presence of Sookie's Fae cousin.

She held up her hand in anticipation of my advance, saying, "Please, I am worried for Sookie also, but I know she will be back at your side. If you would permit me, I would like to stay with you while you wait. I know Sookie would not wish you to be alone at the moment and you are part of the family now." She added the last with a small smile very reminiscent of my bonded's. I nodded, acknowledging her statement, but did not cease my pacing. I could barely feel Sookie, but knew her emotions were taking a beating. I sent as much support as I could, although I could not tell if it was received.

I was at the end of my sanity when I felt Sookie return. I rushed to her side, gathering her in my arms. Her presence returned full force upon my senses and I could tell she was barely remaining upright.

"Eric…"she murmured, wearily. "Oh God, Eric, how could he?"

"Shush, beloved. We can talk later." I cradled her against my chest, where she nestled close. I breathed in her scent, relieved she hadn't been taken from me. I glanced at the Fae and the witch, who both wore identical looks of concern.

"Take care of her, Eric. She's had a really rough evening," the witch said. "I can't believe she made it through that confrontation…Niall was pretty harsh and the last thing she needed was another betrayal. Just…" she hesitated, "don't push her for the details, but make sure she talks to you after she feels better, 'kay? You know how she can repress things."

I nodded at her, both in acknowledgement of her words and in gratitude for her loyalty to my bonded.

The fairy cousin also threw in, "Viking, she will keep her Fae abilities and will need help working through them; would you consent to my help in instructing her? I swear, I will not report to the Prince or do anything to harm her or your bond."

I looked down at my precious burden. Sookie was nearly asleep, but her tear-streaked face and grey complexion showed the evidence of her ordeal. Did I want her to continue to associate with the Fae, after all she had just gone through? I had decided in the negative when her small fist tugged on my shirt.

"S'ok with me, Claudine. I'd miss you if you didn't come by," her voice quavered at the end, reminding me my lover was nearly alone in the world.

"That would be acceptable to me as well," I stated, turning to the house. It was time to take care of my beleaguered love.

In our bedroom, I carefully placed Sookie on the bed, not wanting to disturb her needed rest. I gazed down at her, considering the events of the past month. So much upheaval, so much chaos. I should take her away for a time, to allow us to get used to each other in peace, rather than stress. While I had no more doubts about our mutual devotion, I felt our bond was owed a chance to develop away from the hassle of our daily lives. I sighed, brushing a lock of hair away from Sookie's face. Sadly, such a thing was not likely to happen with my position. I gave fleeting thought to telling Felipe to fuck off and taking Sookie away from his reach; no, that was too close to running away and I was certainly never one to back down from a fight. I smirked as I envisioned an actual physical altercation with Felipe. I would so enjoy ripping him limb from limb.

Deciding Sookie was out for the night, I headed to my office to get work done and begin planning the reopening of Fangtasia. It had to be a success; there was no way I was going to play Felipe's game.

Felipe. Now there was a problem. His directive to turn Sookie was never far from my conscious. I knew his twisted scheming, coupled with Niall's poor timing in asserting his claim over my bonded, was responsible for the majority of recent events. But was controlling Sookie's talents the end goal? Turning a talented human never guaranteed continued gifts, so why was he forcing the issue all of a sudden? I continued to work on autopilot as I pondered these questions.

I had reached no satisfactory answer when, just before dawn, Sookie began to thrash in her sleep. I flew back to the bedroom, just as she began to whimper.

"No! Eric, don't leave me! You promised!"

I gathered her close, sending waves of love, murmuring over and over that I was there and was never leaving her side. After a few minutes more, she settled back into a less troubled sleep. I stayed by her side, as comforted by her presence as she was by mine, until the rising sun forced me from her. As I fell into my daytime death, I sent a prayer to my patronesses that the night would bring answers as well as a conclusion to the drama that was plaguing our life.


	21. Encapsulate

AN: Greetings all. No, I am not dead, nor is _Nadir_. We both just took a little holiday into the scary world known as reality. Now that that's over with, on with the fiction!

Disclaimer: It wasn't, isn't and never shall be mine. Sigh.

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Encapsulate _v_ to place in or as if in a capsule, to summarize or condense

SPOV

I woke up slowly, feeling like my brain was emerging from a cocoon. I was tucked in my bed in Eric's Shreveport house, completely swathed in blankets. I took stock: no bleeding, no bandages, no aches or pains, at least physically. The events of the previous evening came back to me, although through a haze of emotion. I felt too weary to even begin to address the connotations of last night.

A cool hand brushed gently against my arm, causing me to abruptly wake up the rest of the way with a shriek.

"Hush, minn sváss, you're safe, I'm here." Eric's deep voice rumbled behind me. _Duh, who else would it be?_ I had only been awake for about five minutes and I was already irritated with myself.

"Sorry, baby. I guess I'm just still on edge." I yawned, turning over to face my handsome Viking. His crystalline blue eyes shone down at me, full of warmth and concern. "Hey, what are you doing up? How long did I sleep?"

"Lover, you fell asleep as I carried you into the house and were still asleep when I went to my daytime rest. Did you not wake at all during the day?" I could tell he was concerned with my abnormal sleep.

"Huh. I guess not. Although I'm not surprised. Last night was pretty rough." My voice trailed off, not really wanting to get into it, but knowing Eric'd been patient and deserved to know what had happened. I could feel his concern, anger and curiosity pulsing through the bond. The last made me smile inwardly; that was Eric, curious as a cat. To his credit though, he simply stayed quiet, running his fingers up and down my arm and letting me sort out my thoughts.

"I guess we may as well just get it over with; no sense dragging it out." I sighed, really, really just wanting to stay in my cozy hideaway with Eric. "I met one of your Ladies, by the way. They're still on your, well, our side."

Eric's eyes grew wide with that one, but he stayed quiet, knowing I needed to get it out my way.

"Yeah, apparently you were right about the big event that would free you from..." I stumbled over the name, "Niall being our acceptance of the bond. Boy, was he shocked to find out we were soulmates. Talk about if looks could kill; I think Amelia'd be six feet under right now after she shot that one at him. Anyway, it was pretty much what we thought. He did the spell after amping up my Fae abilities. He was hoping to drive you to attack me, so he could sever the bond and take me with him, so when that failed, he used the compulsion spell and threw in the little bonus booby-trap, figuring you wouldn't want me if I was crazy, well, crazier than usual anyway." I could tell Eric wanted to protest that, but I put a finger over his mouth and continued, ignoring the wicked tongue that was now thoroughly tracing my finger."So we were basically screaming at each other, me about how much I love you and need you and him about how you were too dangerous for me to be around, when I hear him thinking that the whole point had been to use me as a brood mare for Fae children." Eric stiffened and I ran my hand through his hair to calm him.

"At that point, I was just so fed up that I couldn't care anymore, even though Niall threw down an ultimatum. Just then, Hlín, at least I guess it was her, showed up and confirmed that he didn't have any claim to you or me, we're supposed to do something special, and Amelia's got their patronage for supporting us. Niall was really not happy, especially when he was informed he's going to be watched carefully and then again when he 'apologized' to you. I think that about sums it up, other than it being just another night in the life of Sookie, where yet another person I trusted betrayed me." I stopped, feeling a wave of self-pity, but managed to throw that off as Eric took my hand and gently raised it to his lips.

"Beloved, I am as always in awe of your strength. Not many people could have held their own against the prince. I am so incredibly sorry that you've lost the good relationship you shared, but I am eternally grateful that you've returned to me. I was fiercely displeased that I could not fight this battle for you, but I promise you, from now on, I will keep you safe." He punctuated his vow with a forceful kiss.

"Eric, it wasn't that bad, I mean, yeah it hurt to find out what he'd really been after in getting to know me, but he didn't really try to hurt me. I'm glad I had Amelia there. Between her and the strength I felt from you, I managed to get through it."

"Yes, I am thankful the witch had the presence of mind to grab you. She is a loyal friend and should be rewarded. Think of something that would please her, lover, and we'll get it for her."

I knew he wasn't suggesting that Amelia's friendship could be bought, so I fought down my instinctual irritation at his throwing money at a person in lieu of a more personal touch. "That's sweet, honey. I'll think about it." And it was sweet, in a removed sort of way.

I suddenly couldn't stand being in bed anymore. As comfy as I'd been minutes ago, I felt the effects of sleeping nearly twenty hours straight. I also felt a deep need to reconnect with Eric, even though he was right in front of me.

"Baby, I really need to shower. I feel grungy and nasty. Will you come help me clean up?" I asked, throwing off the covers and stretching my stiff muscles.

"Do you need to ask, my lover?" Eric was already at the bathroom door and I heard the sounds of the water running. Darn vamp speed.

Ever since the first time, when he'd lost his memories, shower sex had held a special place in my heart. After Eric had forgotten the time we spent together, it had actually taken me days to even set foot in my bathroom, sneaking into Amelia's when she was gone instead, just because the memories were so overpowering. Of course, over the last two weeks we'd made plenty of special memories, but the shower still had the power to thrill me. I was actually kind of surprised that Eric hadn't tried to recreate that night, but I was grateful that the chance finally came when I was definitely in need of feeling cared for and loved.

I entered the bathroom, seeing that Eric was already under the water. I had a feeling he wanted me to take his role in re-enacting our first time, but I wanted to keep that memory in its own niche. I shed my clothes and hopped in, taking my own turn under the water. It was warm and soothing, and that plus the love and care Eric was sending through the bond helped relax me.

Eric's arms snuck around my waist, pulling me into him. I sighed, snuggling into his chest while the water sluiced down our bodies. He nuzzled the top of my head and I could tell he needed this as much as I did.

"I'm sorry it was so hard for you last night, Eric. I do know that you'd have given anything to be with me and I'm sorry you got scared."

He pushed me back enough that I could see his eyes. "Sookie, you just had an emotionally crushing experience and you apologize to me? Really, beloved, you take too much on yourself. Let's just consider that we were lucky Hlín and Frigg are still invested in us and that it turned out well enough in that we are still together."

There was my pragmatic vampire. It is what it is, so let's move on. Not really a bad strategy for life, when you think about it, especially my life. I raised up and kissed him, pressing the whole of my slick body against him. It was blissful to stand under the sultry spray and just kiss. Ok, to say that Eric just kisses is like saying Beethoven just wrote tunes. It's practically a religious experience every time our lips, teeth and tongues meet. This kiss was no different, rapidly moving from a relatively innocent gesture to a fervent melding of mouths. That wicked tongue of his came out to play, twining and tangling with mine to coax a deeper response. His fangs extended, and it was a testament to Eric's skill that nobody started to bleed. Yet, anyway.

Our hands weren't idle, either. I was running mine along his strong back, tracing the long, lean muscles, while his were naughtier, pinching my nipples, grabbing my ass. My need for him flared, so I took hold of my favourite Viking part, signalling that I was ready to move ahead to the main attraction. I could feel his desire, both through the bond, which was already wide open, and pressing into my stomach.

In one smooth move, Eric slid his hands under my ass, lifted me to the right height and, leaning me against the wall, slid into me in one sustained, vigorous, perfect thrust. He stayed there, just enjoying filling me, while I threw my head back against the shower wall and moaned. Oh, my God, there was nothing like the first slide of his body into mine. Just the sensation of being connection and filled with Eric was enough to send me over.

I think even Eric was shocked by my easy orgasm, but he recovered quickly, grinning his head off as his ego swelled.

"Let's see that again, my lover," he said as he began moving. Slowly at first, really letting me feel the slide of our intimate parts, then moving more rigorously, rocking his hips into mine, hitting my clit with his pubic bone in just the right way. I could feel myself heading to the edge again, faster than ever before. Eric could feel it too, and damn him if he didn't start hitting something inside that made me see stars. I screamed something incoherent as I came, but Eric was relentless, plunging in and out with just the right amount of force.

"Once more, lover, come for me again." He smirked as he said it, but I could hear the underlying strain of holding himself back.

I would have protested about being forced to come again, but he was blatantly having such a good time, I really couldn't resist.

His tempo didn't change, but his fangs joined the fun, running down my neck, dragging across my collarbone and nipping at my breasts. I let go of my death-grip around his shoulders to offer him a nipple.

"Hungry, baby?" I asked, my voice husky from both lust and exertion. I felt so wanton, but there was another explosion lurking close.

"Mmm, lover, you take such care of me," he groaned right before he sank his fangs into the top of my breast. Oh, it was sublime, the feeling of my blood being taken by my lover. That explosion thundered closer.

Eric abruptly released my breast and growled, increasing his thrusts. I was so close, and I could tell he was too, but I couldn't quite reach that peak. Eric was almost panting with effort, trying to hold off until I came again, but I didn't know what I was missing.

"Sookie, beloved, come for me. Oh, lover, you are magnificent! I love you, Sookie."

Oh, that did it. I was sure I was in a million pieces with the force of that explosion, set off by those three words. I could feel Eric come too, complete with deafening yells. It seemed as if I was fragmenting, then being put back together only to shatter once more.

By the time I could finally feel myself whole again, Eric had set me on my feet and we were standing under the shower, foreheads pressed together.

We didn't need to say anything; proximity was enough. Gently, Eric pulled back and began washing me, from top to bottom, showing me with every stroke, every caress how much he loved me. I returned the favour, savouring my worship of his exquisite form. Still silent, we left the shower, drying each other off. Eric picked me up, cradling me against his body as he carried me to the bed. We simply held each other, enjoying the peaceful moment.

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AN: I felt very clever with the dual meaning of the title of this chapter! Ok, pat on back done now...


	22. Weary

AN: I noticed something while working on this chapter- when writing Eric, every other sentence seems to start with 'I'. Hmm, wonder why that is? As a sidenote, the title of this chapter is also one of my major pet-peeves when used incorrectly!

Disclaimer: As ever, to my eternal regret, it is not mine.

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Weary _v _to make or become weary; fatigue or tire; to make or grow impatient or dissatisfied with something or at having too much of something

EPOV

I was loathe to burst the quiet we were enjoying, especially as I felt Sookie's emotions stabilizing and balancing to some semblance of her normal cheer. Fucking fairies. I was careful to keep the rage I felt for Niall from reaching through the bond, but I was livid with the arrogance of that bastard. One of the few people who could really see the true Sookie, full of contradictions as she is, and he dismisses her worth in favour of his damn breeding project, not to mention the risk he took with her thanks to his magick. How dare he mess with _my_ bonded? And if the signs were there, why would someone of his cleverness tempt the wrath of the Æsir by forcing the issue in regard to our relationship? I suppose I should feel grateful that he didn't simply stake me and be done with it, no matter the consequences. At least my patronesses were able to intervene last night, although Hlín, unsurprisingly, hadn't elucidated any further about what our bonding signified. She had just dropped tantalizing tidbits about possible events, although she no doubt had more information that would most likely be damned useful at this point in time. Goddesses could be more capricious than Sookie at her best. I mentally shrugged the topic off before my rapidly degrading mood led me to blaspheme. At least we had one further mystery wrapped up, although it was becoming increasingly critical to deal with several others cropping up.

Sookie sighed, snuggled closer, and echoed my thoughts. "So, the spell's cleared up now and Bill's been found out. What's next on the to-do list?"

I checked the bond, looking for resignation or even irritation, but found only a remarkable acceptance of still more upheaval. Apparently, she was adjusting to the 24/7 intrusion of Supe and political bullshit that my position demands. I revisited my previous plotting of ways to get a break, just the two of us. That'd make Pam just thrilled if I dumped Area crap in her lap for a week or two. I'd most likely owe her a night with one or three of my credit cards, but it'd be worth it to just step away from the constant influx of problems.

Tabling those plans again for the moment, I answered, "Felipe should be getting back to me shortly to discuss the outcome of his negotiations with Russell as well as Bill's sentence. Although, I'm sure it will come down to a public trial for appearance's sake. He can't afford to appear weak or lenient, especially to traitors, this early in his reign. Unfortunately, I'm afraid we'll have to attend the trial, as Bill's actions were directly aimed at you, and you are still under my authority, given the agreement with Felipe. I admit to being...uncomfortable with you being in close proximity to the king, especially in his centre of power."

"How bad is it going to get, Eric? I mean, he gave up his right to my services, but he can't be happy about losing '_his asset'_, even with having Barry on tap."

Fuck, I hadn't wanted to get into this yet. "Lover, the king has basically ordered me to turn you." I tightened my grip on her before she could start panicking. "I don't know why this is suddenly an issue, but turning you would make you part of his retinue again, so if you retained your telepathy, he'd have access to that without needing to broker deals through me. I don't understand his need to have two telepaths, or his continued obsession with you, but rest assured, you will _never_ be turned unless you wish it. I swear to you, it will only be by your choice." I was determined on that point; we'd been dancing around the issue lately, but it would never come down to a turn or die situation, especially one provided by Felipe.

Sookie was terrified; her heart was pounding under my hands and I could smell the adrenaline rushing through her as her flight or fight instinct kicked in, already primed by the emotional outpouring earlier.

"No! Eric, no, let me go! I have to leave! I have to get out of here! Let me go!" She struggled, kicking and flailing, trying to escape my hold.

"Sookie, lover, calm down! Listen to me, you will not be turned and at Felipe's mercy. Calm down!" I opened the bond, shoving as much tranquillity and sincerity through it as I could. She slowly began to still, her heart rate easing. I simply held her, trying to reassure her through my presence that she was safe.

Once she calmed, she murmured a quiet, "Sorry," and tucked her head under my chin, nestling as close as she could. Her emotions were swirling through distress, apprehension, resignation, and the ever-present love. The fear, I could understand, but the resignation was puzzling. I wanted to ask her about it, but was worried that pushing her might not be the best option. I hated feeling indecisive and despised not knowing how to approach my own bonded without causing her more anguish. Fucking Felipe. I distracted myself by picturing him strung up next to Compton awaiting my vengeance. I owed him, not only for upsetting Sookie and whatever plans he had for her, but also for his attack of my Queen. Sophie-Ann may have been a pain and a bratty child when it came to her 'toys', but she had been fair and trusted her Sheriffs to act in her best interests without overt supervision. As opposed to de Castro's fucking pervasive presence in my affairs, not to mention his fixation on Sookie, _my_ Sookie. He sought to take too much under his personal control and I had no doubt that that was a weakness that could be used against him with proper preparation.

Apparently, I'd been ruminating too deeply on my dark thoughts and hadn't noticed Sookie talking to me until her tiny finger started poking my chest.

"Earth to Eric. Are you in there?" she sounded amused. I was, as always, confounded by her rapid shifts in mood, although amusement was most definitely an improvement on panic.

"My apologies, minn sváss. I was occupied with something." Not that I wanted to tell her; she may be more accepting of the violence inherent in vampiric nature, Compton's punishment as case in point, but I still was hesitant to force the issue if it set off her terror again.

"Yeah, I'll bet. Envisioning Spanish heads on pikes?"

I love this woman. "Something along those lines. I do mean it, Sookie, you have my word that you will not be turned by force." I wanted to drive that point home. I couldn't bear it if she began to be frightened of the very possibility of coming over, not after her more positive comments of late.

She hummed against my throat, saying, "I know, baby. I trust you to keep me safe. I just got really scared and adding that news on top of last night...I just want people to stop trying to run my life! I think that was the last straw. I'm sorry I flipped out on you, though. It's not like you're to blame for Felipe going dangerously screwy. I wish we knew why he's still set on having me at his beck and call."

I was finding I greatly enjoyed reasonable Sookie, plus, that was a legitimate apology. Be still my unbeating heart, as I could count the number of apologies from my hot-tempered bonded on one hand, most of them in the past few weeks.

Mentally girding my loins, I ventured into dangerous territory. "Lover, we've skirted the topic lately, but the king's edict makes it imperative we discuss it. I've already sworn that you won't be turned to fulfil an order, but I need to know if you meant it when you said you'd start considering becoming vampire. I know how the prospect frightens and disgusts you, but, given the normal drama of our lives and the issue with Felipe that I can only see becoming a costly debacle, I must know your wishes in the worst case scenario. Not that I believe it will come to that, but it would be better for me to know ahead of time, than for you to resent me for eternity." I closed the bond slightly, not wanting to influence her decision by feeling the agony such an occurrence would cause me; I'd rather lose her to a mortal fate than feel her bitterness eat at me for centuries. I had felt such relief that she was pondering joining me for the rest of my existence, but the fucking king stood to undo all her progress in that regard by spooking her with too much, too quickly.

Sookie leaned back to look me in the eye. "Eric, I was serious that I've been thinking about it, but I honestly haven't had enough time. I'm not ready, but I can tell you I can't see leaving you on your own if it's avoidable. So, yeah, if I'm gonna wind up dead, I'd rather be undead with you than six feet under on my own. But only if there's no hope, ok?"

Before I could even contemplate the consolation welling in me, Sookie whacked my shoulder with all of her strength. "And don't be putting words in my mouth, mister! I'm not disgusted by becoming a vampire; that'd be pretty hypocritical seeing as how that's the only reason you're around for me to love. As for the fear, it's more like, nervousness or fear of the unknown. It's a whole other state of being that I can't really comprehend. That's why I want to keep asking questions and fully living my life the way it is now." She punctuated her statement with a firm kiss that quickly turned passionate. Feeling her delectable curves against my skin, I hated to end our embrace, but duty called. Sometimes I felt my position was truly damned.

Pulling back, I dropped a quick kiss on her forehead before saying, "My lover, I hate to break things off, but Pam will surely have a conniption if I don't go to Fangtasia to set up for the reopening tomorrow night. While I enjoy baiting her, I worry she'll be positively homicidal left to her own devices." And most likely take it out on either Compton or my bank account. One was acceptable, the other petty, and I wouldn't put it past her to do both.

Sookie pouted, making me groan as I resisted the urge to nip the proffered plump lip. Not helping. I lifted her off my lap and set her on the bed before standing to put distance between us. And some clothes. Although I had to admit I was saddened to see all that delectable skin covered, I behaved and quickly dressed myself.

Finished with her clothes, Sookie turned. Looking me dead in the eyes, she stated, "Eric, I just want to thank you. Thank you for making me feel wanted and cherished. You always make me feel protected, yet strong enough to stand on my own and I really need you to know how much I value that feeling, especially after the last few weeks. I know I've given you a lot of trouble and that I'm still causing problems with the king, but I'm really trying to work on what I can control, like my behaviour. I want to support you as much as you do me. I really am in this all the way, baby, I promise."

What could I do after such a proclamation, but gather her in my arms? Resting my head against the top of hers, I let the bond do the speaking for me, not trusting my voice, but letting her feel how overwhelmed I was with joy, pride and love for her. Having her pressed against me, my lust was also rising. I could feel Sookie's desire begin to match mine, but just as I was about to take her back to bed, my phone began vibrating against my leg. Groaning, I used the last dregs of control to step back and answer the cursed device.

"_What_?"

"Master, if you do not tear yourself away from Sookie and appear soon, I will not be held responsible for my actions." Pam. Of course. My cock-blocking child sounded harassed and, before I could even respond, began a litany of all her trials.

"The Weres are unruly and disrespectful, the imbecilic fangbangers don't understand the meaning of 'closed for repair' and have been showing up in droves hoping for our doors to be magically opened, Madden has been calling repeatedly for you but will not state his purpose, we need to hire new wait staff as I may have rather forcefully banned two insipid specimens from my presence, I still have yet to play with Compton fully, and not to mention..."

_T__í__var yfir!_ Save me from irate females!

"Pamela!" She ceased her prattling. "Sookie and I are on the way now." I gestured for my lover to proceed to the garage. She was wide-eyed, no doubt astonished at my child's whining oration.

Dealing with her problems in order of importance, I told her, "If Madden calls again before I arrive, say I will call him. You may entertain Compton the rest of the evening once I appear and we settle arrangements for tomorrow. I will speak to the foreman of the construction crew, but you will not be happy if he tells me you were unnecessarily aggravating his men while they were working. Put out the usual ad out for waitresses, and you will deal with hiring replacements. I've told you before that if you scare them off, you are responsible for replacing them. As to the fangbangers, are you really trying to tell me you are unable to take care of the vermin on your own? Perhaps you do not feel capable of remaining in charge and I need to rethink your position in my Area?" She had only called to bitch at me, of course, but she'd been getting out of hand lately and needed to be put in her place.

My bonded, feeling both my irritation and amusement at my child, was trying to contain her giggles. I let my lip curl as Pam apologized and said she would see to her tasks in as subservient a manner as she ever achieves.

Finally giving in and losing her composure, Sookie said through her laughter, "Let me guess, you're thinking of shipping her off to Siberia, aren't you? Somewhere with no shopping and no place for the clothes she has?"

I smirked, envisioning Pam's response if presented with such a fate. "She's been unbearable lately and really must remember who is actually in charge. She's been ever so pleased with herself since we formalised our relationship; she feels it was entirely due to her guidance. Although, she has done an admirable job taking charge of the reconstruction, so I suppose I can't punish her too badly for being smug." I could still fantasize about shipping her wardrobe to various places around the world. I'd finally get some peace while she darted around trying to reclaim her vintage and one-of-a-kind pieces.

Pulling into Fangtasia, I was pleased to note the work was complete, minus a few minor bits of detailing. I went to consult with the foreman about the feasibility of opening the following night while Sookie greeted the Weres with whom she was acquainted. My child appeared at my side and I could feel her agitation. I let her stew while I purposely dragged out my discussion, making a point to enquire about her behaviour toward the work crew. It appeared that nothing more than typical vampire/Were interaction, slightly hostile yet overall genial, had occurred. While I had always stressed the superiority of vampire to Pam during her training, I had also enforced the idea that it only pays to be on good terms with those providing a service. Which led me to believe her earlier complaints had been to mask her reaction to something else.

I was growing tired of her waves of restlessness. Wrapping up my conversation, I turned and gave her a look.

"We need to discuss our strategy for tomorrow. What kept you, as if I didn't know! I would have thought business would have taken precedence over fucking, at least until we make up the tribute for this quarter."

If I didn't know better, I'd say my child was nervous. I was intrigued and simply raised my eyebrow.

Disappointingly, she caved quickly. "Fine! I made some changes to the decor without your authorization. I saw the opportunity to add some sophistication to this pit and I took it." Pam looked back defiantly, waiting for my reaction. I could tell she was expecting me to rant, but the truth was I had been growing tired of the cliché decor. If I wasn't actively exploiting the...enthusiasm of the fangbangers, I wasn't particularly interested in maintaining the admittedly tasteless, but expected atmosphere. As she well knew. Which meant she was still fucking with me.

I gathered my bonded to my side as we wended our way into the bar. I was impressed that my child had managed to keep her plans from me, but in my defence, I had been distracted with my nightly taunting of Compton.

She had done well. The tawdry black and red had been subtly transformed into crimson and midnight, with only minor adjustments providing a more refined atmosphere for those with enhanced senses, while still maintaining a dangerous impression for our oblivious, thrill-seeking patrons.

"Pamela, it's very impressive. Well done."

"Wow, Pam, it looks great! So much better than it was!" Sookie gushed. Pam looked exceedingly pleased with herself. I decided to bring her back down to earth.

"Now, if you've wasted enough of the night, don't we have a re-opening to plan? We have to focus on how to regain our lost profits."

It was extremely satisfying to see Pam's face shift from near bliss to a scowl. She trailed behind, muttering undoubtedly filthy curses.

The next few hours were spent strategizing. Various promotions and means of advertisement were discussed and discarded. To my delight, Sookie joined in, albeit often hesitant to extend her opinion. She understood both the intricacies of the bar business and the human mind, offering a unique blend of experience I was more than willing to utilize, particularly if it would bolster her lagging self-esteem. I could only assume that Niall's dismissal of her worth had made her usual self-confidence issues even worse and I wanted to do all I could to rid her of those doubts.

It was nearing two in the morning when Pam came almost scurrying back through the door, holding out a phone and mouthing, "Madden."

"Victor."

"Northman. I wanted to let you know that I'll be stopping by at your bar this evening. I will be collecting Compton for transport to Las Vegas in anticipation of his trial."

"Of course. Is there anything you require for his transport?" Being courteous was always a good strategy, especially to those I despise.

"No, I have that under control." He paused, which immediately set me on edge. "I would, however, request a moment of private conversation with you before I depart."

Request or not, I was uncertain if I could afford to refuse. Whatever he wanted to discuss could only give me more insight into the situation we'd be walking into at the trial.

"I'm certain that can be arranged. If you'll excuse me, I must attend to matters of the reopening."

"Of course, of course. Business must always take priority. I will see you this evening then. Do try to keep Compton largely in one piece, although I realize it's your last night to play with him. I'd like to put the majority of him on the plane in one box." He ended the call, laughing at his attempt at wit.

I stared at the phone in my hand, unsettled by the almost cordial conversation. Madden had never made any secret of the fact he resented me, for the loyalty of my people, for my connections, and most recently, for de Castro's decision to leave me in position over the most profitable Area in Louisiana after Katrina. I was immediately suspicious if Madden was attempting to get in my good graces.

"Eric, what the fuck was that about?" Pam had, of course, heard every word and was just as discomposed as I.

"I'm not sure. I dislike changes in the status quo this close to our journey to Nevada." I was aware I was dangerously close to sounding petulant, but I was rapidly refiguring contingencies in my head to account for possible events.

Sookie, worry flooding the bond, was attempting to stay alert, but she was still unused to vampire hours, despite her long rest during the day. Scooping her up, I nodded at my child, saying, "There's nothing to be done but wait and be on guard this evening. Go play with our guest; I'll call Burnham before dawn to prepare for our inundation of pestilence."

As I walked out, I added, "And well done on the decor, Pam." I felt her practically wriggle with my praise, prompting a smirk of my own. She really was the best child I could ask for, even if she could be a pain.


	23. Edify

A/N: You lucky people! (Well, I suppose you can decide if you feel lucky to be bombarded with more of my writing!) Due to Arctic conditions and mass quantities of snow, almost the entire north of England is shut down. And a majority of the rest of the country, but southerners are weak-blooded anyway. :) So, as the Uni's closed for the time being, and I'm avoiding being bombarded by hyperactive, snowball sniping first-years in the street by hiding in my flat, I bring you another chapter! You may be graced with even more...if I don't get distracted finally reading all the wonderful stories I've stockpiled for just such an occasion! And of course, I can always hold further instalments hostage for reviews...

Disclaimer: Maybe if I ask nicely, Santa will bring it to me for Christmas?

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Edify _v _to instruct or benefit, especially morally or spiritually

SPOV

I really didn't want to know what time it was when I finally woke up. After the long night at Fangtasia, capped with Victor's phone call, I had barely managed to make it to bed. Eric was probably a bit disappointed, but he had been really sweet, carrying me to my room and helping me get undressed without too much suggestiveness. I was really glad I had gone with him though, since it was actually kinda fun to sit in on Eric and Pam's strategy session. They had bandied ideas back and forth at lightning speed, snarking at each other good-naturedly. What really surprised me was that both savvy and experienced business-people had actually listened to my little suggestions, incorporating them in the final plan. It made me feel really good about myself, like I could hold my own, at least in some respects, with two people I really respect. I felt like I had value, something I hadn't really gotten other than from Gran, growing up.

Overall, I was actually feeling much less angst than I had expected. Maybe accepting the bond and all that came with it had matured my emotional outlook? Or maybe I was just channelling Eric's pragmatism. Who knows, but I wasn't going to argue not feeling like crap. I did notice a new trend to be introspective when I first woke up, like taking a minute to do an emotional inventory. It made me start to think before reacting, something of which I'm sure my vampire was appreciative. Thinking of him, I took a minute to reach into the bond and just bask in its warmth. It would have to serve as a substitute until Eric rose.

I showered and grabbed comfy clothes, not planning on going anywhere for the remainder of the day. I shuddered as I glanced at the clock, seeing as it was already mid-afternoon. Heading down to the kitchen, I was grateful that someone, likely Amelia or Claudine, had cleaned up after our mess of the adventures into étouffée. Jeez, was that really only two days ago? I scrounged for something quick and easy to eat, not really feeling the urge to cook but suddenly ravenous as I realized I hadn't eaten since dinner with Amelia. I really needed to call her and thank her for being such a good friend. I was actually a little surprised she wasn't camping out on the yard seeing as how I'd been so out of it yesterday, I hadn't even thought to check my phone. Deciding my stomach took priority over my no-doubt overflowing voicemail, I eagerly heated anything I could get my hands on.

I was rapidly stuffing my face with leftovers when Claudine appeared, making me fling my fork in the air and screech.

"Gah! Don't _do_ that!" I was hyperventilating, trying to calm my heart.

"Oh, Sookie, I'm so sorry! I thought you'd be expecting me; I left a voicemail on your phone yesterday. Your vampire called right after I left the other night, informing me about your upcoming trip to Las Vegas. He requested I at least begin your training, so that you can hopefully attempt rudimentary defensive skills. While I really dislike having to give you a crash course, I have to say that I agree with him on this point. Once you grasp the concept of the skills, you should be able to access them without my help, and any advantage you have in vamp central is critical."

I could see the sense of that, but I really wasn't sure how quickly she expected me to understand what she was going to be teaching me. "Claudine, I'm grateful you're willing to help me out, but honestly, I don't really expect to be able to do much more than I do now. I mean, I can pop myself out of trouble and the new shields are a blessing, but I'm really just a tiny bit Fae, so I don't think I'll meet up with the high hopes y'all seem to have for me."

My fairy godmother shook her head, seemingly upset with my statement. "Sookie, what you have to understand is that you _are_ Fae. It doesn't matter how it came to be part of your ancestry or how distant the blood relation is; the fact that you can connect with that part of you makes you one of us. It doesn't mean that you aren't human, since you connect with that part of your heritage as well. It only means that you can tap into either aspect of yourself, and it _is_ yourself. Niall only...encouraged the abilities within to come to the fore. Do you remember me telling you that your abilities would begin to develop once you were aware of them? You just need to come to terms with the fact they are part of you and you'll discover that you have something within you guiding you on how to act when you connect to the fairy part of your soul. It's called analeptic memory, a kind of unconscious encyclopaedia of Fae knowledge passed down through all generations. It's like an internal tutor with instant access, when appropriately triggered, to all sorts of knowledge accumulated by your ancestors. We just need to get you to accept who you are and what you're capable of, in both aspects of your life."

"That's all well and good, Claudine, but really, I'm just a barmaid from a small town. I may have some abilities that set me even further apart, but I'm still just a waitress who barely made it through high school. I'm very much aware of my limits, so I really don't want to disappoint you." A quiet voice whispered in the back of my mind that Eric would certainly have something to say about that statement, but my self-doubt was in full possession and I couldn't shake my limited Crazy Sookie persona.

Claudine looked about as irritated as I'd ever seen, but took a deep breath and cleared her expression. She stepped forward and gently enfolded me in her arms. "My darling cousin, you are an extremely strong-willed, intelligent, caring Southern woman. But you are also notoriously self-effacing. You act as you've been trained to act by the biases of small-minded people all your life; you need to accept you are capable of much more than you think."

She let go and continued, "And not just with your gifts. You are an incredible human, dear cousin, and you have so much more to offer the world than you've been allowing yourself to explore. I'm sure your Viking sees the same thing. He's so devoted to you and it is not just for what you can provide him. We can both see how brightly you could shine, if you would just get rid of your preconceptions of your worth."

I took a second to think about how it'd felt last night to have my ideas clearly valued and not just humoured and realized she might have been on to something. I'd been clinging to my Bon Temps position, simply because I knew where I stood and was comfortable not pushing myself for more. That had been the crux of my battle against feeling anything for Eric; what could he possibly see in me, other than our physical compatibility, my telepathy and Fae blood, that he was so willing to pursue? I knew I wasn't dumb, but I'd let myself get trapped in the role others had assigned me, all the while protesting my independence. Yeah, I could see why Pam found me so amusing. Huh, maybe that introspective thing was good for more than just stopping my instinctive responses.

"Oh, Claudine, I think you may be right. I really have talked myself down so long it's just second nature now. If you and Eric can see something in me, then I really have to try and do the same. It might take awhile to actually sink in, but I'm gonna try to get it through my head."

I hugged her, feeling a wonderful sense of confidence wash over me. "Now, let's get this show on the road. We don't have a lot of time before Eric rises and we have to get to Fangtasia right away."

She laughed her lovely happy, chiming laugh. "All right, little cousin. We know you have stronger mental shields, so let's start with creating physical shields."

She led me out to the back yard, probably eliminating the possibility of my wreaking havoc on Eric's furnishings.

She snapped her fingers and settled gracefully on the plush cushion that appeared on the ground next to her. Glancing down, I noticed one for me, too. It was like a really elegant version of story-time, only these fairytales were real.

"To begin with, Faerie is divided in four clans and each fairy belongs to one clan or another. Clan membership determines to which natural element the fairy is most attuned. You've probably heard of elementals, like undine or sylph? Those are alchemical concepts based on the divisions of Fae clans, but these days are often considered separate entities from the Fae. Paracelsus was correct in attaching a particular element to each of his divisions, but his use of distinct terms has created confusion about whether a fairy is an elemental or if they are distinct beings. Not that we're particularly upset by obscuring our true nature; it's an extra layer of disguise for those of us who live among humans. Anyway, as Sky Fae, we have a deep relationship with the air around us. Tapping into that relationship can allow you to form a shield around you or a target, making it virtually impossible for opponents to strike you. It does take quite a lot of effort to maintain for long periods of time, especially if you're shielding something other than yourself."

She grinned mischievously, "If I'm being faithful to the instructions your vampire gave, I really shouldn't teach you how to shield others. I'm meant to be focusing 'on any means that will protect Sookie, as she is far too stubborn to realize the common sense of avoiding dangerous situations with beings far stronger than she'. Of course, he isn't aware that once you learn to listen to yourself and trust your fairy instincts, you'll be able to grasp that one on your own."

Oh, yeah, that was a direct quote all right. My blood began boiling. Not only was Eric flipping high-handed enough to arrange all of this behind my back, but he actually gave my Fae cousin orders? Hoo, boy, if he was awake, he would surely get a kick in a tender area! My righteous indignation kept building, only to be deflated instantly by that little voice again, suggesting he really did only want me safe and that we hadn't had much time to discuss it last night. Claudine was the only one who could help, so it made sense he would turn to her. And no-one could accuse the Viking of being more than cursorily polite.

Gritting my teeth, "Ok, so how do we do this?"

Looking fretful, Claudine asked, "Are you ok, Sookie? I didn't mean to make light of your relationship, if that's what you're thinking. After finally seeing you two together, with full acceptance of the bonds between you, I know you are where you are supposed to be and I'm so relieved you're finally happy."

"Oh, no, Claudine, that wasn't what I was thinking at all! I was just talking myself down from being upset at Eric for going behind my back, but really, it's fine. I'm so glad you approve though. It seems like more people are ok with us being together than I'd expected, so that really makes me happy." The jury was still out on Tara, Jason and the rest of Bon Temps, but seeing as I hadn't told anyone beyond Sam and Amelia, that kinda showed me where my priorities were, and I had their approval, so I was all set.

"Ok, to start with, you need to focus on feeling the air around you. Not just on its own, but as if you are part of it. Close your eyes and just feel the currents on your skin and each breath as you pull the air into you, making it part of your being."

I followed her directions, feeling kinda ridiculous. It sounded a bit hippy-dippy to me, but who was I to discount anything? Not only could I hear people's thoughts, I regularly associated with a number of supernatural beings and had even pulled off some impressive feats of my own.

I concentrated for what seemed like hours. I finally began to sense the air as an entity of its own, moving in eddies and currents according to its own direction. Pulling it into my lungs, I felt it merge with _something _that soaked it right up, changing my orientation until there wasn't an outside/inside distinction, but an awareness of being part of the air. It moved through me, and that _something_ sort of whispered at me. I didn't even question it, but focused my attention and somehow asked the air to protect me. I got an impression of agreement before I felt a more solid arrangement of the currents directly around and through me.

Claudine, obviously reining in her elation so I wouldn't lose my concentration, clapped quietly, saying, "I knew it! I knew you could do it! Oh, good job, Sookie! I'm so proud of you! Now, keep that feeling of oneness and open your eyes."

I have to admit, even after making the decision to be more open-minded about my abilities, I'd still had doubts about how my little bit of Fae blood, even after Niall's tinkering, could even part-way do what Eric and Claudine were obviously expecting. But as I opened my eyes to look at my cousin and saw a faint shimmer between us, I accepted it. I was Fae.

We worked really hard on shielding, which, despite my ability to form one, was much more stressful to maintain. It wasn't really draining, since I never felt my energy drop, but a single lapse in concentration made me lose the connection. Coming at the wrong moment, that was a pretty big flaw in sustained defence. We took a short break for something to eat and I got a lecture about staying healthy and not skipping meals, especially since that could affect my abilities. Claudine was finally happy with a shield I managed to hold for eight minutes while moving around, eight apparently being a magico-mathematical representation of air and therefore auspicious.

"Now, little cousin, you have to promise me you will not purposely put yourself in harm's way." She brushed over my denial that I ever did it on purpose saying, "You have a range of defensive abilities for a reason. No fairy would even think to be within the same city limits as an enclave of vampires as strong as Las Vegas; you're lucky you only faintly smell of Fae, in spite of the increase in your blood. I will warn you, tapping into that part of your make-up might aggravate your appeal. Just remember, I can't come to help in Nevada. If anything goes wrong, trust your vampire and your instincts. Both are working to protect you."

She stepped closer, brushing a kiss on my cheek to go with her hug, then popped off.

I was unsettled by Claudine's parting and wanted, no, _needed_ to be with Eric. I popped into his dayroom, immediately drinking in the sight of my Viking sprawled on the bed in all his glory. He looked so peaceful and young, two things I never really associated with him during his waking hours. I sat on the bed, brushing my fingers through his hair to work out the snarls. The repetitive motion was soothing and meditative, fulfilling my deep need to connect with my love. I decided I really should spend some time considering our relationship and where we were headed. Even with Victor's impending visit and Felipe's obsession with me, their acknowledgement of our bond and the contract Eric had worked out would keep me safe in day to day life. There wasn't really a reason for me to stay hiding out from real life. I felt instant panic at the thought of not being with Eric as much as I had lately. I was accustomed to being his focus as soon as he rose and as he went to his daily death and I really, really didn't want to lose that. But what about my house, and my job? The last time I'd thought about this, I had accepted that I was done living apart, if Eric agreed, but I'd been dead set on going back to work. It wasn't fair to keep Sam in suspense over when I'd be back. I was so grateful he'd been accepting of the whole situation, although not truly surprised. He had always had my back and I couldn't disappoint him. But did I even want to go back? I started wondering whether or not I should do something more than slinging beer to intolerant rednecks.

I flashed back to my talk with Claudine. I had accepted I was pretty much a fairy, so maybe it was time to act on the rest of it and see just what Sookie Stackhouse was capable of doing. Not that I begrudged a minute of my time at Merlotte's! Sam had been more than willing to provide a safe haven for me in a town where I was regarded as a freak. I certainly didn't think I was suddenly better than him; I just felt like I suddenly had more options that would make me even happier and definitely more content.

Of course, that was only the tip of the iceberg with the changes I wanted to make. I wanted Eric. I wanted him as much as possible: his time, his attention, his wicked humour, his understated romance, his easy conversation. I didn't doubt his love for me, anymore at least. He really was the only one who ever made me feel like I had his entire focus, as intense as it was, and I was now addicted to being the centre of his world. I was completely aware of how much of my own being zeroed in on him if we were in the same room. I was fairly sure he felt the same way, but we were in definite need of a serious talk.

The object of my consideration began showing signs of life. I'd rarely had the opportunity to observe this phenomenon and took full advantage. It wasn't so much an instantaneous springing to unlife from death, but just a sense of energy beginning to flow beneath the surface. I judged my moment and kissed him just as his eyes drew open, those long lashes dragging upward to frame chips of blue ice. It was probably a pretty stupid move, practically shoving my tasty blood right against his mouth, but I trusted the bond to tell me when it wasn't safe. As it was, that kiss was rapidly moving from sweet to positively filthy, bypassing passionate and dirty at warp speed. As willing as I was to spend some quality horizontal time with Eric, I knew tonight was important and my ordinarily micro-managing, control freak Viking would not be happy to not be at the bar before it opened, regardless of the diversion. I really didn't want to set a precedence for Eric pushing aside his responsibilities for me, or more importantly, get on Pam's bad side! Softening the kiss as much as I was able, I drew back until I was standing by the bed.

Eric pouted, then inhaled. "Mmm, my lover, you smell deliciously of Fae."

Darn it, I knew I should have showered! As he got out of bed and leered at me, I saw just how happy he was I hadn't. Oh, my, it was getting warm in here. Keeping an eye on that gracious plenty while trying not to think about just what my vampire could do with it, I backed up slowly, trying to calculate the possibility of popping out to the upstairs shower, or even Bon Temps for that matter, before being tackled by my increasingly intoxicated bonded. Not that I was scared of him; I knew he would never hurt me, but we really needed to get going.

No time like the present to try out my new trick. I quickly concentrated and managed to establish a shield just in time to see all six-feet plus of horny vamp bounce backward a few inches. It was enough to jolt him back to sense, at least for a moment.

He looked stunned, then laughed his full, deep, pleased laugh. "Oh, excellent, my lover! I am most proud of you for accomplishing this so quickly! This will definitely be a surprise no one will see coming."

I could feel the waves of his pride sweep through the bond and I soaked them up greedily. Only more reason to love this man as he accepted all of me and revelled in my successes to an extent I'd never had before.

"Will the pretty fairy drop her shield so her bonded might give her a kiss to properly express his appreciation of her wonders?" Well, who could say no to that? Certainly not me, as I dropped the shield in a hurry.

Apparently, I hadn't thought to ask what a proper expression of appreciation was, or realize that dropping the shield released the Fae scent again, because I went from standing by the door to finding myself devoid of clothing, on my back on the bed with a giant Viking doing his best to crawl into my skin. Fingers blurred over vast tracks of skin, mouths sealed together, tongues tangled. As he worshipped my curves, I had a vague thought that we needed to do something, but he suddenly sucked hard on a nipple and the pleasure drove all coherent thought from my head. The desire ricocheting back and forth through the bond ensured this would be a quick coupling.

I was so wet and ready. I just wanted Eric to take me! I felt like I would die if he wasn't inside me as fast as possible, not as hyperbole, but literally that the bond would crush me under the waves of lust if we weren't connected physically. I tried to tell him, but only managed to get out breathy little sounds of ecstasy. Those seemed to get the point across, as Eric dragged his hands down my body, outlining all my curves, and hoisted my legs over his shoulders. A finger dipped between them, checking on my already dripping state. A pleased grunt passed his elongated fangs at the evidence of how much I wanted him. I bucked my hips to give him a big hint about his next manoeuvre. Faster than I could track, he was suddenly all the way inside my tightness, deeper than normal thanks to the position of my legs. I was deliciously, exquisitely, deliriously full. As he tried to pull back, I squeezed my internal muscles with all my strength, forcing a surprised groan to fall from his lips. He retaliated by twisting my nipples, which compelled me to release him to start thrusting. The rhythm he established was forceful, but adoring, driving, but tender. We both knew we wouldn't last long, and Eric practically ensured that by biting his forearm and offering it to me. I latched on like a leech, sucking away, while Eric reared back and sunk his fangs in my neck. The bond stretched wide, as it did when we shared blood, setting off, intensifying, and prolonging both our climaxes, tying us further together.

Eric dropped my legs and rolled onto his side with a satisfied moan. We looked at each other and started laughing, still vibrating from our potent release. The whole escapade had probably taken less than fifteen minutes!

"Well," I wheezed, "at least we won't be late."


	24. Turmoil

A/N: So, I have returned after a three month hiatus to that dreary place known as Real Life. While I can't guarantee a set update schedule, I can promise it will not be that long between updates again! I humbly submit an extra long chapter for your reading pleasure. Hopefully. If it's not to your pleasure, don't tell me! I can promise that this chapter begins the final arc, which gets very turbulent, for the apparently bloodthirsty majority of my readers. Of course, that's only if the gosh darn site actually ALLOWS me to update...

Disclaimer: I promise to take good care of my borrowed toys and return (most) of them in only slightly battered condition.

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Turmoil _n _a state of great commotion, confusion, or disturbance; tumult; agitation; disquiet

EPOV

After that awakening, I knew there was no possibility of my ever wanting to rise without my bonded with me. I also knew she would soon realize the immediate danger was over and that there was no legitimate reason for her to remain in one of my houses, with me. I was distinctly unhappy, however, at the mere notion that she would return to her dilapidated farmhouse and we would resume our old pattern of not spending time together. At least we had established our mutual belonging to the other; surely that was enough to warrant a change in living arrangements. I mused on the possibility of broaching the subject as Sookie ceased her giggling.

After pulling her to me for a final, deep kiss, I released her and sprang from the bed. While Fangtasia was certainly not the most lucrative of my business ventures over the years, or even currently, it was something of a favourite, if only for the dark amusement I received making my income from the pathetic nature of the humanity we'd so long hid from, and I found myself somewhat enthusiastic about its reopening, made only sweeter by Sookie's adept suggestions and burgeoning confidence in her own capabilities. Not even Madden's impending visit with all its possible connotations could completely dampen my excitement.

Sookie, obviously feeling my anticipation, laughed, then mock-pouted as she said, "You know, sometimes I think you love that bar more than me!"

"Not true, minn sváss. Why don't you come over here and allow me to prove my devotion to you?" If I didn't know better, I'd say I was becoming giddy. That would certainly have to cease before Pam caught wind or there would be no living with her for the foreseeable future. She'd rib me about this for centuries to come.

"Oh, no! You stay over there, mister and just concentrate on making yourself far too attractive for your adoring fangbangers, who better not lay a finger on you!" She glared at the thought of any of the vermin having the temerity to touch what was rightfully hers. For myself, my jittery emotional state was only enhanced by the possessive waves rolling off my bonded. Her next muttered words almost punctured my self-control. "If any of those skanky 'hos even gets close, I'll put a shield around you so fast, they won't know what hit them."

Even beyond my enjoyment of her possessiveness, I was so proud of my bonded for her quick grasp of shielding. That skill in particular had been her cousin's first suggestion when I had contacted her regarding our trip and the attendant dangers.

Catching her eyes, I told her so. "My lover, I am incredibly in awe of your skills, although your mastery of Fae talents in so short a time only validates my belief in your capability to do anything to which you set yourself. Pam and I were both beyond impressed with your grasp of marketing skills. I just want you to be aware of how extraordinary your brain is, for more than your telepathy." I punctuated my words with a kiss on her forehead, then stepped back to check her response.

Surprisingly, her expression was merely serene, not uncomfortable, although glowing slightly red from my praise. I damned all those in her life who had passed over what a jewel they had in their midst, adding to her low self-worth and making her entirely unused to compliments.

"Thank you, honey. Actually, Claudine just laid it out for me today, too, saying I could do so much more than I have been if I just accepted I could. And I was thinking right before you rose that maybe she was right. You pretty much just convinced me, too. I know I don't really think highly of myself, but I'm going to try to work on that, if you'll help me." She waited a beat, then added, "Of course, you're just so shy and retiring that I wonder if you'll be of any use in that area!" She snorted, amused at her facetious comment.

I simply shook my head, still far too energized to engage in our normal banter, knowing we'd simply end up back on the bed. Or against the door. Or on the dresser.

Obviously feeling my over-excited desire, Sookie exclaimed, "Eric! You're the one that wanted to get there early! Save it for later, like when we get home and can celebrate your successful re-attraction of all your loyal fans after you glare at them all night. Or better yet, we can stay in bed all night for a week once you get bored reigning over your personal fiefdom again."

I wasn't sure if I was more touched that she called my house home or stimulated that she, above all others, knew me so well. Most would have assumed I enjoyed the worship of the dregs of humanity who fought for scraps of my attention, rather than being easily tired of the routine. Apparently the latter emotion was the victor through the bond, as Sookie snapped out, "Seriously, Eric, stop with the lust-bombs. Or be prepared to face Pam and a stake after I jump you and we make her face the hordes deprived of your presence on her own."

"My apologies, my love. Of course, we must be going. You bring up an excellent point, however. I've been out of circulation, shall we say, for quite some time now, meaning the swarming clientele will be more ravenous than ever. I fear for my safety, and my virtue. You will protect me, won't you, lover?" I was so enchanted to hear her care-free laughter that I even batted my eyelashes, just to heighten the absurdity.

The amusement lasted the brief drive. I was still somewhat unused to actually feeling positive emotions in interacting with another, even after all the time Sookie and I had spent together recently. Given that my only frame of reference was my interaction with Pam, which was much more inclined to pranks when I wasn't addressing her as a subordinate, it was most definitely a change. A pleasant and highly preferable change, but different nonetheless.

That ended abruptly when we arrived at Fangtasia. I was disgusted to see a line of miserable scantily black-clad figures wending its way through the parking lot, even an hour before we opened. Pam was correct, they were vermin. Sookie mirrored my disdain, although she also felt a slight amount of pity for the truly pathetic creatures. Heading in through the back door, she took one more look and tsked, shaking her head before preceding me into the bar. We were met by the whirlwind otherwise known as Pam, who was apparently experiencing some elation of her own. My child loved nothing more than to be in charge of something, especially if it led to more money, and her oversight of the preparations had obviously left her slightly euphoric.

"Oh good. You're both here. I was worried I'd have to pry you off Sookie in order to enthrall your adoring vermin. Everything's set, although I'm afraid we're going to have to have a little discussion with our liquor distributor; the delivery was so late it was still unloading when I arrived." She paused and finally looked up from her PDA. A pained look crossed her face and she said, "Eric, I swear, you prove the point that men are utterly useless. Although, you're no better, Sookie. Purple? Really? Not only purple but a cutesy little sundress at a vampire bar? And Eric, what have I told you about the importance of making up our profits this quarter? In order to do that, you have to actually look like the badass vampire, not the quarterback out on a date with the cheerleader. Go! I'll pull something appropriate and put it in your office." I raised an eyebrow at her tone, but was mostly amused. That was my Pam, fashion conscious even in the face of financial stress. It apparently didn't matter that we were discussing the costume pieces we both loathed for our self-appointed roles; clothes were clothes to Pam. I supposed I really hadn't been paying attention when dressing, as looking down now, my jeans and t-shirt against Sookie's light, innocent looking dress really weren't Fangtasia-approved.

"Ah, and where do you think you're going?" Pam tsked as Sookie tried to walk past her to follow me to my office. "I'm keeping the two of you separated; a happy Viking does absolutely nothing for my profits and proximity to Sookie will definitely bring about that sad state of affairs. You two can just look lustfully at each other across the floor. At least that'll bring little Eric out to play, which should be good for an immediate run on the booze. And Eric, didn't I say to go change?"

"You're lucky I am in a good mood, child, or you would swiftly remember your place in the order of things." She wasn't pushing much more than usual for an important night and I immediately wondered if I should assure myself that Compton was still not finally dead, after his over-eager playmate last night. "Pam, you did remember our guest needs to be able to leave us in relatively one piece tonight?"

Apparently, I had just enough warning in my tone that it registered through her monetary focus. "Yes, Master. Madden will find his prisoner able to walk and talk. Mostly. I make no promises about his mental state, as that was obviously damaged beforehand."

Sookie flinched internally, sending waves of regret through the bond. At least there was no residual pain; if Compton caused her one jot more of negative emotions, I'd end him, de Castro be damned. I could guess the train of her thoughts and resolved to bring it up as soon as possible.

"Very true. I'm glad you managed to restrain yourself. Now, escort Sookie to the floor and keep an eye on her. I'm fully capable of dressing myself, Pamela, so see to the rest of your preparations. Lover, I'll join you shortly."

Leaving my girls to chat, I ducked into my office. Perusing my selection of ensembles kept solely for floor duty, I settled on a mix of items I knew Sookie approved of and those that would reinforce my position during Madden's visit. I spent a brief amount of time ensuring the security cameras were functioning and sending out reminders that bar duty for all Area 5 vampires was increased for a month. Sookie's most inspired idea was to double the number of vampires to meet the demand of the deprived cattle that would soon be piling through the doors. More vampires equalled more liquor sales as the desperate sought liquid courage or the rejected to drown their sorrows. Realizing that I only had a few minutes to steal with Sookie before the pageantry began, I sauntered out to the floor.

My bonded and child were trading genial barbs as they assisted Felicia in readying the bar for opening. I was glad they were getting along, but was even more gratified when Sookie immediately came to me, shooting a last remark over her shoulder at Pam, who laughed and said, "Fine! Five minutes, Northman, then I want your ass in that throne."

Sookie practically flowed into my arms, humming in satisfaction. "Yeah, that ass better be hidden from view! Leather pants, Eric? Are you just asking for me to have to beat off the fangbangers with a stick? Maybe I should take a page out of your book and learn how to use a sword."

I couldn't even begin to tell her how much I appreciated the mental imagery of her wielding a blade, especially to defend me as hers. As I couldn't reward her properly in the middle of the bar, at least not with her cooperation, and with only five minutes, I changed the subject. "Lover, I know what you were thinking earlier, and while I agree with you in sentiment, we would not be where we are if I had been your first. As I told you, following one's wyrd means allowing the sum of your past decisions to impact those of the present, therefore the past needed to be what it was in order for us to be together now. There's no need for regret, only acceptance of our happiness now." It struck me as I said it, that I actually was happy. It was slightly daunting that my happiness lay on the shoulders of a twenty-something part-Fae telepath. And frightening that yet again, I found myself sounding like one of Pam's damned talk shows.

I could feel the tension seep from her with my reassurance. "I just feel like we, well, ok,_ I_, wasted so much time fighting us. Fighting my initial response to you, then fighting my feelings for you and let's not even talk about the bond. It was like, everything was pushing me to you, but I had to be stubborn and refuse to accept it, just on principle. I guess I just had a what-if moment there, like what if I had taken what you offered me so many times. But I'm glad you're happy with the here and now, and I really get the whole where you've been makes where you are thing." She tipped her face up to look at me. "I love you, Eric."

I kissed her. A hard, driving meshing of lips that mirrored the meshing of our beings. I pulled back, pleased to hear her panting and holding me as if I was the only thing keeping her upright. I appreciated her response, as that would have to tide over us both until closing. "Now, my delectable bonded, off to my booth with you before I haul you into my office to have my way with you."

"Right, going now." She didn't move. "Really, I'm going. See, moving away."

"Sookie, as much as I would love to have you reconsider sitting with me, you didn't want to provoke the trash. I'm afraid seeing a ravishing blonde clinging to the star attraction will go against that plan."

She released me, although not before squeezing my ass, saying, "Just remember, buddy, this is mine and so's the rest of you. Make sure they get the look but don't touch rule, got me?" I watched as she strolled over to my booth, hips swaying hypnotically. She blew me a kiss as she settled in, making sure we had line of sight in case she heard something that needed attending.

I had barely settled myself in my throne, damn Pam for that name, when said brat dramatically called out, "Places everyone!" before throwing open the doors and growling at the first of the pathetic vermin.

I was pleased to see we reached capacity in under an hour, with a long line still outside. Felicia was working at vampire speed yet still falling behind on drink orders, and I had to sternly glare at my bonded occasionally, as I could feel her practically vibrating with the need to help. I simply ignored the trash vainly parading their wasted flesh before me. I concentrated instead on observing Sookie, something I'd rarely had the chance to do, outside of the bedroom. I was entranced by her reactions to various thoughts. Amusement was allowed to show, as was sympathy, but a quickly blanked expression masked disgust or disturbance. She was such a fascinating creature and she was mine! At one point, I realized I had been cataloguing her movements for well over two hours, without even noticing the crowd.

The utter need we had for each other was growing ridiculous. She was only across the bar and I could still feel something inside me longing for her to come closer, to soothe it with her touch. Sookie obviously felt the same, as the bond was pinging from her side, attempting to draw me to her. She had let her shields down to scan the crowd, but just as much of her focus was on me as mine was on her. Such inattention to my surroundings was not prudent. I hoped it was only due to our recent mutual acceptance of our multiple ties to one another, but had a suspicion this was something permanent I would need to account for and adapt.

All too soon, I saw Pam leading Madden through the throng. I caught Sookie's eye and nodded toward my office. As discussed, she would stay in the public space, under Pam's watchful guard, while I dealt with our visitor and his errand.

Meeting my nominal superior at the door to my office, I ushered him in, offering a blood. There was no way I was even going to suggest feeding from a donor. Bad host or not, I did not want to have to explain my refusal and draw even more attention to Sookie.

Accepting, Madden briefly outlined his plan for taking Compton to Vegas, enquiring about his current state and the punishment already inflicted. The paperwork transferring custody was the work of a moment, and, gathering his lackeys, we moved to the basement, where Compton was swiftly transferred to a silver-lined coffin and carried to the back of a van pulled up against the employee entrance to prevent prying eyes.

Giving orders to drive to the airport and await his arrival, Madden gave me a significant glance. Obviously, we'd come to the part of the program where he required a private conversation.

Annoyed and suspicious, I led him back to my office and waited for him to spit it out. I didn't have to wait long.

"Northman. I realize we've had our differences, and you have every right to distrust my words, but you need to know that Felipe has become obsessed with your bonded. True, he has a court telepath, but he feels entitled to Miss Stackhouse and your adroit manoeuvring pre-empted his plans to acquire her. He's slowly losing his grip on reality, spinning off into rants about the decline of our status since the Great Revelation and how the other regents are weak for allowing the human government to control our actions. Sandy and I have managed to curtail the knowledge of his mental state from becoming public, but his diatribes have recently centred on your bonded and how all his problems will be solved once she is under his control. He seems to think she is the key to some great power... I'm not sure what he thinks, actually, as he becomes quite incoherent on the subject, other than to be determined she be made vampire. He's not even concerned with being her maker, only that she be turned." He paused, no doubt debating the wisdom of continuing to commit treason, primarily since we'd never exactly seen eye to eye, as he was a power-hungry, unscrupulous bastard whereas I was perfectly content with my territory. The fact that he was actually admitting the true state of affairs with Felipe, confirming recent whispers of rumours, indicated I was not going to like what he said next.

Madden continued, "I admit to being quite impressed by your little telepath, and feel that Felipe poses a direct danger to her continued well-being. I'm afraid, my dear Viking, that it is well known threats to Miss Stackhouse engender direct retaliation from you, a situation only the truly foolhardy pursue. That being said, it is also common knowledge that to act within this kingdom, it is only sensible to ensure your backing. Not to pander to your already considerable ego, but as one of the oldest of us in the kingdom, not to mention your fighting prowess and business acumen, you make a considerable ally, particularly considering the number of loyal supporters you can muster. It's come to the point where those close to Felipe have serious concerns about his suitability to remain regent, especially over such vast territory. Those in the know feel it would only be wise to assure your support before any attempt at rectifying the situation is made."

The cagey fucker was careful to avoid implicating himself, but I was concerned this was simply a ploy to charge me with treason, leaving Sookie defenceless. Then again, he hadn't actually stated anything about a coup; he'd been very careful in his wording, letting inference work in his favour instead of actively committing treason. If I didn't hate him, I'd be impressed. His acknowledgement of my abilities, given our mutual antagonism, made me cautious as well. I despised not being able to read his intentions.

Playing coy myself, I merely inclined my head in acknowledgement. Nothing he had said was untrue, after all, and, if those higher authorities were concerned with de Castro's obsession with Sookie, I had no qualms with supporting their activities. Especially, if, as Madden was hinting, I would have little to do with the new administration, which suited me just fine. My thoughts were in turmoil with the new information as it was, as a change in regime was never bloodless nor easy, no matter how well planned and I intensely disliked the notion that Sookie was directly in the midst of another one.

True to form, he grew slightly agitated at my continued silence. The younger generations of vampire, especially those less than half my age, seemed prone to prattle, Pam as case in point, and silence, especially from an elder, was taken as cause for alarm. A fact I was more than inclined to exploit.

"Look, Northman, this kingdom is failing. There's support for a change in regime from higher up and I need, we all need to know where you stand. Your loyalty to your regent is well-documented; the fact that you stood by Sophie-Ann even in the face of her poor judgements and injuries is testament to that. This situation is different. Felipe is a direct threat to your bonded and quite frankly, any action that incites your response is to be avoided, so I have been authorized to make you aware of the situation and seek your support, tacit or otherwise. This is not an attempt to trap you into treason. I'm well aware of how you would meet such an action. The plan already set in motion will culminate at the trial, which Felipe has just moved up to begin tomorrow evening. I believe he did so in an attempt to cause you to be less prepared, as well as more vulnerable by travelling during the day, leaving your bonded unattended. I have already arranged for Were guards, vouched for by Packmaster Herveaux, to be with her upon arrival, as a sign of my good faith. All effort will be spent to ensure her safety; this comes from the highest level as a sign of respect to you, as well as an acknowledgement of the value of Miss Stackhouse, not only for her ability. Her efforts to aid the Supe community, most notably at Rhodes, but also in her everyday actions, have not gone unnoticed. Once this crisis is resolved, your bonded will be justly commended."

Ah. Now that sounded more appropriate for the upper echelons of our world. Yes, I had free will to support the plan, which in its very existence demonstrated just how dangerous de Castro really was if our fractious leadership managed to produce something workable on such short notice, but Sookie's welfare was dangled before me as a carrot I could not refuse.

I had to be careful in my phrasing. Madden may have flatly stated his treasonous activities, a brave move I acknowledged, but I could not take the chance by reciprocating. "I agree; there is a cancer in our kingdom, which is already overstretched by a simple matter of geography. It is not lucrative to maintain control from such a distance. A strategic move would be to separate the spheres of power."

He nodded, receiving both messages. "Indeed, the only sensible plan is for delegation of control, as those more wise than I have suggested. The personnel will not be considered until the change is ratified, of course." His last sentence was accompanied by a significant look I did not care for in the least.

Damn it. I had thought all that was needed was my support, not that I would be in the running for kingship for a newly re-divided kingdom. I should have guessed with Madden's flowery appraisal of my skills that he wanted to be in my favour for more than one reason. Something to think of at a later date, as the more immediate threat of de Castro's actions for the next night took priority.

I inclined my head in response to Madden's statement, acknowledging but not reacting. "Of course, it is always wise to listen to those who know better and to follow their suggestions. As well as offer full support."

He seemed to visibly wilt with relief for a moment, before regaining proper form as we both moved toward the door. "I will pass on your counsel. I have already forwarded the arrangements for your transport and accommodation during the trial. Hopefully, with your aid, justice will be served."

My respect grew an infinitesimal amount at his word play, not that it could have gotten much lower. I nodded at him, escorting him out the employee door before returning to my office to glance over his arrangements. Not surprisingly, he'd taken the liberty of leaving the number in my entourage open-ended. I sent brief, coded e-mails to key members of my retinue, explaining the situation and my requirements.

I wished to take a moment to mull over all that Madden had let slip, but I couldn't ignore Sookie's nervous vibration through the bond. Pam, as well, was highly agitated at not knowing the outcome of the meeting. I called Pam through our maker/child tie, knowing she would collect Sookie as well. My girls immediately appeared before me, anxious for details.

"Well?" Pam's voice was pointed.

"The trial was moved up to tomorrow night. Madden made arrangements for our transport early tomorrow." I felt Sookie's spike of fear. "Don't worry, lover, you will be accompanied by guards from Herveaux's pack. You will not be left alone for an instant."

Standing abruptly, I ordered, "Pam, prepare for closing. We will discuss this further at the Shreveport house."

She vanished instantly. I turned to my still uncertain bonded, who melted into my embrace. "Sookie, all will be fine. Don't think on this now." I swiftly pushed back the thought that she now had another legitimate reason for staying with me in favour of soothing her worries.

I managed to distract her on the brief drive by asking about what she had gleaned from the patrons. Apparently, we had done very well for a single night and the changes were received well by those who had noticed. That topic was sufficient to carry us through Pam's arrival.

I jumped into the crucial information immediately. "There is a sanctioned overthrow of de Castro in place that will apparently be resolved at the trial. Madden was sent to seek my support, especially as the direct threat was toward Sookie. de Castro has become completely obsessed with her turning, something which concerns his superiors. I pledged my support for taking him out, but apparently they want more, as the kingdom is to be separated again. It is entirely impractical for Nevada to have control over Louisiana and Arkansas; the distance, as well as disparity in revenue, is too great. Madden hinted that I was to be considered for control of our newly restored kingdom." We all contemplated the ramifications of tonight's meeting.

Madden's hints that Sookie's worth was noted at a high level was troubling, as was de Castro's apparent belief in her position in regard to some unknown 'power'. The two could not be unconnected. I hated feeling blind, especially where my beloved was concerned. I was apparently too preoccupied in my thoughts, as Sookie startled me by asking, "But, Eric, I thought you didn't want to be king?"

"Minn sváss, there is nothing I want less than to be king. I am entirely content with my position but Felipe makes it impossible to enjoy being sheriff with his constant need to control his subjects. Add to that his obsession with you and I want him gone. I would be willing to swear fealty to another, as long as I retain my autonomy and can be assured of my people's fair treatment. Of course, if I were to aid in the overthrow Felipe, it is doubtful that any other monarch would trust in my loyalty, given my assets and ability to access a support base."

"But wouldn't the fact that you were able to overthrow a king and then chose to keep your status deter anyone from trying to take you out? You'd think that would make them want to keep you happy instead, especially if you were responsible for putting them on the throne."

"You make a good point, lover, and actually may have solved one of my questions about Madden's manner in addressing the issue. I had initially thought he only sought my support, but he turned around to suggest I would be placed in power. There may be some confusion over my wishes, which is why he hedged his bets to ensure my support."

Pam spoke up, scoffing, "If anyone paid attention, it is beyond obvious you are not interested in a higher rank. You could have taken over for Sophie-Ann at any time, especially after Rhodes, but instead you maintained the status quo while holding the kingdom together. Any regent would wish to have you in their retinue, especially if you helped install them, although some idiots may still fear the power you can wield even as a lowly Sheriff."

"This is neither here nor there. Our main focus should be the impending coup d'état. This has come about so suddenly, it is highly unlikely de Castro is aware anything is wrong, especially given his current mental state, but we can't take that chance. Sookie, stay with your guards at all times and if fighting breaks out, as it most likely will, I want you out of the fray. Use your abilities and get as far away as possible. Coming back to your house would be preferable, as only a few vampire are invited in and de Castro would not be expecting that, so you should be safe from other Supes he may have set as a back-up plan to gain possession of you. Pam, arrange for an array of weapons to be transported with us. Look over Madden's arrangements to familiarize yourself with every move and contact Herveaux to double check his involvement."

"Eric, there's no way I'm leaving you in an entirely different state if you're fighting for your life! I'll stay out of the fighting, sure, but don't ask me to abandon you. I won't do it! Claudine is confident in my shielding, even though I'm sure she was anticipating having another day or two of training. And I promise, I'll pop away if it gets really bad, but only if I can't manage it by myself. You can't ask for more than that." Sookie was a mix of determination and desperation and I knew she would be immovable on that front. That was what I loved about her after all, her exasperating need to be in the middle of things, especially involving those she cared about. I was not, however, overly fond of her tendency to do so at her own risk.

"Fine, just see that you stay safe. Pam, you'll guard my bonded when fighting breaks out." She pouted at me, irritated to be left out of a prospective fight. I shot her a look, making her realize that Sookie's very presence ensured she would get to fight, even if only to protect my lover. "Now, go see to your tasks." I dismissed her, knowing she'd take care of the usual precautions set in place whenever we headed into an unknown situation.

As soon as Pam left, I turned to my bonded, wanting to clarify matters before her fears built up in her head. Apparently, I _was _learning. "Lover, I felt your concern over my potential elevation to king. Trust me, I have no desire to take power and will do everything to avoid that situation. However, if it is the only way to ensure your safety, I will do so. Nothing will change between us if that occurs. You would not have to adjust to anything other than perhaps visiting New Orleans with me more often. Our time together would not decrease; being king would involve more of my time than my current endeavours, but nothing would affect you overtly." I bundled her into my arms and carried her to the bedroom, where we dressed for bed in the companionship of a married couple, rather than the usual frenzy of new lovers. Despite our earlier desire, the final events of the night leant themselves to a need to reassure ourselves of the other's presence. I held her close as we settled under the covers, feeling the bond settle into contentment with our proximity.

Picking up the conversation, I told her, "It will not come to that, however. I truly do not desire the headache of running a kingdom and regardless of the undercurrents of this situation I have yet to understand, an unwilling regent would never be installed."

"I know, Eric, and I'm glad you've thought about it if it did happen. I just really don't want you to be stuck doing something you hate because of me. Even if it is to protect me, please, please don't take it! I don't want you to resent me for it down the line." She was obviously very troubled at the thought, which I greatly appreciated, even if it was unnecessary.

"As I said, I doubt it will come to that. An unwilling regent is worse than an unstable one. I'm more concerned with the events of tomorrow. The trial will be very similar to Sophie-Ann's. You will have to give testimony about Compton's actions, if it even gets that far. I'm not certain when the coup will take place, so we will have to act as though the trial will fully take place. I will be at your side for all of it, don't worry about that."

She nodded, burrowing tighter into my chest. "But what about when the fighting starts? I promised to get out of the way, but you'll be right in the middle of it. And what if Bill gets loose? He'll go straight for you, along with the majority of Felipe's guard, since you're the strongest fighter. You'll be the biggest threat! And what about during the day? If Felipe is so obsessed with turning me, what is going to stop him from grabbing me from his own hotel, or staking you in your coffin?"

I wanted to reassure her, as her fear and uncertainty bit at me, although I had to admit none of her points were invalid. "Lover, I promise, you will be safe. And nothing will happen to me. Just promise to stay with your guards and try not to wander too far from the hotel during the day. I'd feel more comfortable if you were to stay in the room, near me, but then again, a moving target is harder to hit. Simply use your judgement. And according to Madden, de Castro doesn't care who your maker is, so it would be highly unlikely he'd try to take me out at high risk of exposure when it would be entirely unjustified. If anything, his focus would be on gaining control of you to force me change you, which is why you must stay close to your guards. I highly doubt he would do anything before the trial, however unstable he is, as your testimony is critical and treason must be dealt with. Just remain calm. All will be well, minn sváss." I kissed her deeply, feeling the pull of day but wanting to make sure her anxiety was lessened. She calmed as her passion met mine. Pulling back, my heart squeezed at the sleepy, loving smile she sent at me. I kissed her forehead before forcing myself to leave her side and place myself in my travel coffin. I fell to my daytime death basking in the warmth of my bonded's love.


	25. Engage

A/N: Greetings all. I have returned and come bearing gifts. I'll continue posting here as long as the site allows me to, but as I received a warning that someone reported _Nadir_ for abuse, I'm not sure how long that will last. This seems to be happening to a wide range of authors lately and I for one am disgusted that someone would ruin the free-flow of creativity by falsely reporting stories for their own sick amusement.

To that end, I've created a new wordpress site, writingforanopenmind, to house my stories. A fully revised copy of _Nadir_, complete with images, is currently being posted and I have _new_, never before been read, content going up there as well, so please follow the link in my profile and come on over!

As an historical side note: today in 1397, Eric of Pomerania was crowned king of Norway, Sweden and Denmark, which were united by treaty as the Kalmar Union. That Eric sounds remarkably familiar as he was known for being sharp, dynamic, charismatic, stubborn and hot-tempered.

Disclaimer: Nope, still not mine.

* * *

Engage _v_ (_military_) to begin an action with an enemy; to involve intensely; engross; occupy

SPOV

I woke up mid-morning thinking I was still snuggled in Eric's arms. The sense of him was all around me, but opening my eyes, I realized I was only feeling his affection through the bond. I carefully wrapped up the feeling and tucked it in the corner of my soul where Eric's rested, responding to the hunch that I would need it before the next day. For all the confidence he exuded, Eric couldn't hide his worry over the coming situation. Truth be told, I was scared beyond belief. I finally had everything I'd ever wanted, and some things I never knew I needed, so, as my life usually went, I was just waiting for the rug to be pulled out under me.

Pushing aside my worries in favour of practicalities, I rushed around, packing a bag for me as well as one for Eric. I knew he wouldn't want to chance moving again during his vulnerable daytime death, so we'd likely be leaving the following evening, if we were allowed to leave at all. Shaking my head at my continued gloominess, I threw clothes to cover a variety of events into a couple of Eric's suitcases and hauled them downstairs in preparation of the Anubis transport. I got a small shock seeing Eric's obviously occupied coffin unrepentantly standing smack dab in the middle of his lovely, albeit masculine sitting room. Dropping the bags by the door, I tentatively went over and hovered by my love's hidden form. Placing a hand on the lid, I opened the bond as much as possible. I didn't know how long I sat there, communing with Eric's life-force, but when I pulled out of my trance, I cringed to see how little time I had left. I hurriedly showered and ate, keeping an eye on the clock. Sure enough, I'd barely finished washing the dishes before the doorbell rang.

Although I had travelled a lot more than I'd ever expected in recent years, I still wasn't over the nerves involved in flying. I spared a thought that it may have been due to the fact I was always flying into some unknown situation and my brain had just made the connection that a flight equalled pain or danger. Whatever the cause, this time around, I sunk into the bond and hid from my anxiety the entire trip. I only pulled back enough to answer the clerk at Felipe's hotel and to direct the handlers where to put my vampires before going back into the bliss and freedom of the bond, where I spent the rest of the day. Eric's rising only opened the bond fully on his end and we enthusiastically reaffirmed our connection.

All too soon, it was time to head down to the courtroom. Eric could sense the tension swiftly overwhelming me as he gathered me close for a moment. He quietly said, "Lover, you need not fear the outcome of tonight. For whatever else, Compton at least will no longer be able to plague you. As for the rest, where's the fiery telepath who dismissed the attention of a one thousand year old vampire Sheriff? Tonight, you need to be the strong, independent woman your grandmother raised you to be. Show no fear and you will command the respect due you. Trust yourself and your gifts, as well as my promise that you will be safe."

I clung to my exceptional, supportive, loving man. I burrowed my head into his chest, inhaling his unique and comforting scent as I fought down my agitation and got in touch with my inner steel. "You're right, Eric. I'm sorry I've been so clingy and needy lately. I'll do my best to make you proud tonight."

Tightening his arms around my shoulders, he said, "Lover, I'm never _not_ proud of you. I know you've had a complete emotional upheaval lately, which is entirely understandable. I never resent your coming to me for comfort; in fact, I am privileged to be the one to whom you turn. I just need you to be sure in yourself, to be fully confident in your capability to weather anything and come out stronger for it."

What could I do but kiss him? Stretching up, I let him feel how much I valued his words. We stayed locked together for an endless moment before Eric regretfully pulled back. "It's time, minn sváss."

Straightening my business-appropriate but still moveable-for-violence-avoidance attire, I took the proffered arm and we swept our way down the hall, stopping only to collect Pam.

Our small entourage made a stir in the already full courtroom. I ignored the stares and whispers in favour of perusing the room. Felipe did like his grandeur, as the walls were hung with drapes in alternating red and yellow. I vaguely remembered those being the colours of the Spanish flag. A dark blue drape with a coat of arms hung behind the chair on the raised dais at the front of the room, ostentatiously marking the seat of power.

I cast my mind out to try to find Barry, but he wasn't within my range. Either that or he had learned to shield better than the last time I'd seen him. I couldn't find him in the crowd, but seeing as it was mostly vamps, there probably wasn't a need for him.

No sooner had we taken our seats than Felipe sauntered in, looking as resplendent as usual. He took his place in the central chair and silently observed the room. He spotted us immediately, Eric's height and blonde head easily standing out. The king nodded in our direction before his attention turned to Victor, who was dragging poor Bill into the room. My ex-boyfriend looked miserable and gaunt. They obviously hadn't allowed him to feed and being bound in silver sure wasn't helping. I had been angry at his latest attempt to get me back, but it dissipated immediately, leaving pity and an aching sadness for his continued, misguided affection for me.

Victor led Bill to stand in front of Felipe, turning him around to face the audience. I gasped in horror as I caught his gaze. His eyes were dull and flat and he looked utterly resigned to his fate. I didn't realize I was squeezing Eric's arm tighter and tighter until I felt my knuckles pop from the strain. I didn't want to witness the final death of my first love. I couldn't do it.

Felipe boomed out, "This court is called to order. We are gathered to address the serious issue of a violation of the oath of fealty by William Thomas Compton to his Sheriff, Eric Northman, and his king."

Under the cover of the furious mutterings of the crowd, Eric bent down to whisper, "Sookie, you have done all you can for him. I know you don't wish to see this and would rather he live, but you dishonour the memory of what you shared with him by looking away. Be brave and let him see your face to the last. Don't let your fear hurt him even more in his final moments."

I nodded and pressed myself into his side in thanks for his understanding. I met Bill's eyes, determined to ease his suffering as much as possible. I let all the feelings of compassion and friendship I had for him show on my face, letting him know he was forgiven and that he wouldn't pass unmourned. Eric's approval flooded through the bond. Bill's gaze shifted briefly to his former rival and I felt Eric nod at him, commending his stoic acceptance of his fate.

Felipe regained control of the room as he continued, "Treason is an act that tradition demands be met with a swift and final response. I cannot and will not let such an action pass, especially as I continue to solidify my regency of Louisiana and Arkansas. It must be known that to act against me and my regime is to commit suicide." He paused for effect and I suddenly remembered his penchant for speechifying.

Keeping my eyes locked on Bill's, I tried to send as much comfort as I could. He broke the connection as he bowed his head, ready to hear his fate.

"The traitor acted out of a misguided love for Sheriff Northman's bonded. He allowed another regent to twist his need for his lost woman into committing his acts against me. This cannot stand." He paused again and I wanted to scream from the tension. I felt Pam shift slightly next to me, which was akin to nervous shuffling for her.

"The mark of a good leader, however, is a balance of firm control and benevolence. In light of new information, I am inclined to mercy. Victor, release the prisoner and give him a blood. I shall deal with his banishment later." His voice turned cold and forbidding as he said, "Sheriff Northman, I require you and Miss Stackhouse to answer for your own indiscretions."

The whole room erupted. Not only was Bill, an admitted traitor, going to go free, but Eric, a strong Sheriff with an impeccable reputation and well-known for his loyalty, was being called to the carpet? I began freaking out in my head, but managed to just hang on to my poker face. Victor briefly shot a panicked look at Eric, but recovered quickly. I felt Eric and Pam exchange an entire conversation's worth of significant looks over my head before he tugged me out of my seat to walk forward. As we walked to the front of the room, I glanced over at Bill who was guzzling True Blood as if it was going out of style. He looked a little brighter and more alert, which was a good sign, but I didn't have time to spare him much thought. As Eric bowed and I bobbed my head, the room grew quiet, unsettled by the turn of events.

Felipe cut right to the chase. "Sheriff, you are surely aware of what omission you have to answer for?

"No, my king. I have no idea in what capacity I have apparently failed you." If it wasn't so serious, I would have snickered at Eric's ability to be a kiss ass.

"Northman, you neglected to mention that your lovely bonded was part-Fae. Of royal lineage, even. I can only imagine the benefits and support you wished to wield for your own purposes by not reporting such a significant detail to your king. I'm sorry to say that your plot has been found out and routed." A manic gleam shown in Felipe's eyes, the kind of fanatical greed for power I had heard in the minds of the Fellowship members who kidnapped me, the one that convinced people their actions were right and free from consequences.

He continued, looking lustfully at me as I shrank behind Eric's tense form, "No matter, you've walked willingly into my grasp, so I can overlook your indiscretion. Either you turn her and I will allow you to keep her as your progeny, providing me full access to her, or I turn her now and you will not be allowed the slightest contact with _my _child."

I couldn't even think; my entire brain was numb with terror. I threw myself into the bond to try to gain strength from Eric and was surprised to find confusion alongside determination and a climbing rage.

Felipe obviously wasn't satisfied when Eric didn't fall prostrate with gratitude at his largesse in giving him the choice of who would be my killer. "Make your choice, Viking."

"Forgive me, my King, but why are you adamant _my bonded_ be turned? You have a telepath in your retinue already. Her gift might not survive the transition and you would have gained nothing." Ever the diplomat, Eric was apparently trying to glean more information as he rearranged his mental chess pieces.

"Don't play coy, Eric, it doesn't suit you. You know full well what having a scion of the Brigant line under control would mean in terms of power. The Prince would be forced to agree to an alliance to keep his granddaughter from the final death. Imagine the power of commanding Fae troops! Other regents would fall before such a force. Only a few would need to be taken out before the rest would offer whatever I wanted to keep their lives. I would be invincible!"

I mentally prodded Eric, hoping he would ask the question I wanted to, but refrained for fear of pulling the crazed vampire's attention back toward me. Fortunately, either he heard me or we were just that in sync, as my lover asked, "But why not simply incarcerate her? Why the demand she be turned?"

"If she remained among the living, any of her kin could still sense her and rescue her during the day, no matter how well guarded or thoroughly encased in iron. As vampire, however, Miss Stackhouse would lose her fairy signature as well as prove a danger to any of her kin. You know well how long it takes to be able to resist the siren call of Fae blood; a young vampire would give in to her instincts and tear apart even her closest relation to get at the delectable liquid."

Self-preservation be damned, I couldn't stop myself from asking, "But how did you find out about my heritage? And why going to the bother of making the agreement with Eric about my freedom if you were just going to have me turned anyway?"

"My dear child," he said in a creepy, syrupy tone, "the agreement for your release from my retinue was certainly valid. Your bonded argued most vociferously that your ability depends upon your happiness and that you would be most content to remain in your charming little town. As I value you so dearly for your service to my reign, I only wished to ensure your pleasure." Felipe suddenly glowered. "I hadn't expected your jilted lover over there to run off at his mouth to his new master. I would have thought he would still have an invested interest in your welfare, in the misguided hope of winning you back, but it seems he was eager to endear himself to my counterpart. Russell knows all about you, hence the plot to have you kidnapped. My spy in Edgington's court alerted me to the involvement of the Fellowship and I was able to send my own agent in the group tasked with taking you. Naturally, as a Were, he was able to sense the appearance of the Fae Prince when he appeared to limit the amount of damage those zealots were able to inflict. When your bonded arrived, he escaped and reported Niall's interest in you. It wasn't difficult to put two and two together about your connection. It was then, of course, I realized what a treasure you truly are, more so than I had thought."

He looked me over in such a covetous fashion that I instantly felt dirty.

"So, which is it to be, Northman? Will you keep your pet with you or will you abandon her in favour of my ownership?"

Victor spoke up before Eric had the chance, "He will do neither. Felipe de Castro, I declare you unfit to rule, by order of the council. Step down or meet your final death."

I found myself suddenly thrust back from Eric. Pam materialized in front of me, balancing multiple swords in her hands.

The room was poised, hinged on Felipe's answer in order to act. His reaction came in the form of an un-amused laugh. "Oh Victor, did you imagine I was unaware of your plots against me? I was simply waiting for you to get the nerve to make your play. The fact that Miss Stackhouse is here and will soon provide me access to the power to fulfil all my ambitions merely sweetens my certain victory." He mockingly shook his head. "You just had to do things the hard way," he said right before lunging at his second, a sword appearing in his hand.

That was seemingly the cue for the rest of the vamps to go at it, backed by a sudden influx of Weres into the room. Both Victor and Felipe had salted supporters in the observers, so it was no surprise to see weapons appearing from thin air as hidden blades made their appearance. Eric simply held out a hand and Pam shot the largest, heaviest weapon she had at him. Without looking away from the approaching foes, he caught it and brought it to bear. The rush of sheer joy and battle lust that swept through the bond almost buckled my knees. I was glad he, at least, was having fun.

As Felipe's fighters caught sight of my Viking bearing a deadly rod of steel, there was a moment of hesitation before the bravest converged on him all at once. If they thought to overwhelm him by sheer numbers, they were sadly mistaken as Eric laughed delightedly, beckoning them on. I simply shook my head, accepting that I would _never_ understand men.

Startling me by suddenly passing by, Bill reached for one of Pam's swords. She hesitated, but I said, "It's ok, Pam. He'll fight for us." Despite my earlier fears, I knew whatever rift we had had between us was healed. He wouldn't hurt me by taking Eric away. Seizing the sword, he nodded at me, giving me an inscrutable look before throwing himself into the fight with more relish than I expected.

Ok, so there I was, on the fringe of a fight over my life or undeath. I should have been terrified, right? Nope, I was definitely completely turned-on by the sight of my tall, handsome and lethal lover. Eric moved with such a deadly grace that it looked like he was waltzing his way through the mêlée. A romance novel cliché maybe, but true nonetheless. I was ashamed of myself for getting hot and bothered watching his sculpted muscles swing his massive sword, carving through his opponents with ease. I just had to smile at the violent glee pulsing through our bond. That was my honey: never happier than when dismembering those who threatened his people and possessions. It was so easy for me to forget, at least sometimes, what being a vampire truly meant. It meant a love of violence and bloodshed hand in hand with trickery, ferocity, strength and intensity. Seeing Eric in his natural element, evoking images of his human past only enhanced by his entirely unleashed vampire nature would have sent me screaming even a few months ago, but now I had the utmost trust that he would never turn on me. I finally understood the dichotomy of his nature, and how truly rare was what we had together.

I was quickly recalled to myself as Pam leapt in front of me, fending off one of Felipe's Weres. I needed to get it together since I hadn't even heard him approach. I knew Eric wanted me out of this fight, but my stubborn self just couldn't leave him. I just had a feeling that if he got out of my sight, something dreadful would happen. It was too bad my Fae abilities didn't lend themselves to fighting; I felt guilty for keeping Pam from helping Eric and tying her to the job of my bodyguard.

I just couldn't get his haunted look out of my head when he had risen, leaping out of his coffin to grab me frantically and kiss me as if he'd never get the chance again. His words, mumbled unconsciously in his ancient tongue, "_Svá grunar mik at banadagr minn muni vera á __þessi dœgr__"_ [I suspect that my death might be this day], still rang in my head. He had shaken off the mood quickly, tumbling me under him and proceeded to vigorously show me his affection. His typical playful, yet alpha-male demeanour had lasted the rest of the short time we had together before being summoned to Felipe's courtroom. There was no sign he remembered his words and carefully worded questions on my part resulted only in blank looks. I had eventually given up in favour of controlling my panic at what was still to come, but the wide-spread violence in front of me brought his words home. I was desperately ignoring the signs that his Ladies had sent a premonition of his warrior's death.

Pam was echoing her Maker's glee in the carnage. I was honestly surprised at how ferocious she was in keeping all comers away from me. I was actually more surprised at my surprise, seeing as she was Eric's child. He had to have passed along his love of a fight, along with the skills necessary to keep her alive in the violent world of vampire politics. I was grateful for her fervour in defending me, as I had no inclination of using my gifts in front of strangers unless absolutely necessary. Seeing how obsessed Felipe was by knowing my heritage, I really didn't want to constantly be hounded for either my abilities or as leverage, should it become common knowledge who my family was. I was keeping an eye on my staunch guardian, however, in case I could protect her in turn by a little nudge of my shield.

Chancing a brief look away, I saw Bill tangling with a short, stocky vamp with a mace. I was concerned, but Bill gracefully and readily dispatched his opponent. Feeling my regard, he turned to me and etched a salute with his blade before jumping and twisting back to avoid a swing from a new enemy. Seriously, _men_!

In that time, I had lost sight of Eric in the tumult and was trying frantically to find him when I felt it.

The world stopped.

That's the only way to describe the sudden total lack of sensation. My eyes saw nothing, my ears heard nothing, my skin deadened to the touch. But worst of all, my heart ceased to beat. It knew, before my brain registered the fact, that its other half had left this world.

And it didn't want to stay.


End file.
